Magically Inclined
by Sabaku No Natsuo
Summary: There is this world far from here, where magic is feared. This year, a long standing sepeartion between magical and non-magical humans will be torn down by one high school...KuroFai, plus a lotta others!
1. Warmest Wishes

**A/N: **Okay, so this was actually finished BEFORE the most recent chapter of Bus Tickets. I just wanted to see if you guys would freak out over my supposed absence. Guess not. -le sob- But moving on~! I got this plot idea from watching...can you believe it...**Bewitched! **You know the part where Isabel's dad talks about how she's hiding who she really is. Oh I was watching the movie not the series, though both are total love in my eyes!! Of course, and as always, Natsuo helped bring this idea to life with her lovely plot developments! I hope that you guys will love this one as much as you loved Bus Tickets. It's told in Fai's POV, so tell me how I'm doing with that.

On that note, Fai's thoughts are very (VERY) scattered for a good reason. A reason that will be revealed later on. Enjoy~!

**Summary: **_If you were in my shoes, what would you do?_

**Warnings: **Well...mentions of Shonen-ai (Ha! She can do dat?!), and sinful amounts of CLAMP partying (she's not lying here buddy!)...What? No swearing? ('Fraid not...O.O)

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Arc 1: Our Differences

**Chapter 1**

I live in a world where being unique is practically a crime, punishable by discrimination. Where having innate talents like telekinesis or elemental manipulation is an invitation to be treated like an outcast.

That's right. I live in a world where magic is controlled and non-magical humans are the ones at the top of the food chain. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the lines of history magic became a thing to be feared. The world leaders decided to try to control all magical humans. I'm not sure what there is to fear, or what there is to hate about people like me, but apparently it helps the non-magical humans sleep sounder at night.

In your world you had a time kind of like this one. That time right before the Civil Rights Movement. Right before they put all the different races in one school and did away with the Jim Crow Laws. Well, I guess the story I'm wanting to tell is, actually, right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement for you guys, because I want to tell you about my first year in a desegregated school.

I was seventeen at the time, and of course a magical human.

I was separated from my twin brother and had been unable to see him since I entered High School.

And I was about to learn what it meant to be an active member of the life I'd been given...

I was going to learn how to make friends...

How to accept other people...

How to change the course of destiny...

And most of all, I was going to learn how to love with all my heart...

* * *

"Ashura," I called down the stairs. "Where's my uniform?"

I heard him pause, "It's in your closet behind your formal robe."

Ashura was my adopted father. That twin I mentioned earlier lives with my real mother and father in a country hundreds of miles away from me for reasons I don't feel like disclosing. Ashura has many amazing talents like cooking, painting and object foresight. No matter where something is he can see it. I find it fascinating, he says it's a pretty common power. He can do other things too, like most other wizards, but he tries to do things the non-magical way mostly. Ashura makes me do things the non-magical way too, his excuse is that it builds character.

I pushed my formal wear aside and found it. How could I have missed it? I shrugged and threw it on my bed. Sometimes it's best not to dwell on the small things, I told myself as I tossed my pajams to the chair that sat in the far corner of my room. I dressed quickly, feeling apprehensive and nervous about this whole day.

It was my first day of my junior year of High School. A year that would be carried out in a magical and non-magical integrated school. It had a middle school and a high school. In separate buildings of course. Even if it weren't an integrated school it would be stupid to put such age groups together. It's actually pretty stupid to put a bunch of high schoolers together...in my opinion at least.

I shook my head, shaking off those strange thoughts with it.

"Don't forget the bracelet," he reminded me as his spatula scraped the bottom of the frying pan.

"Oh..." I looked under my messy blanket, under my pillows and my discarded clothes. "Right...Um...Ashura?"

"Top of your dresser," he shouted. Sometimes I swear he's a mind reader. I opened my mouth to thank him. "You're welcome!"

I slipped the silver band over my hand to settle on my wrist. I turned it around in the sunlight.

These bracelets were issued by the school. They were given to magical students who were at risk. At risk meaning that students like me, who had 'too much' power to not be a liability to the school. The bracelets bound the magic inside of students like me to keep too much from coming out while the bracelet was on. I don't think that they thought the design through too much. If it was this easy to put it on, wouldn't it be just as easy to take off if you wanted to unleash your awesome fury upon some unsuspecting non-magical student?

God I was getting side tracked.

I slung my book bag over my shoulder and walked down stairs to the mini-dining room to have breakfast with Ashura.

* * *

I took the bus to school, and of course to minimize the dangers already included in an integrated school they sent different buses for magical students. It was more convenient anyway. Most magical people lived in the same area to begin with. Me and Ashura lived beyond the train tracks, our house was...well actually a duplex, but nice considering most real estate agencies refused to help us. We had to find this house by driving around after he took me in.

As soon as I stepped on the bus my bracelet went from loose and comfortable to tight and surprising. My first instinct was to try to take it off when it started to constrict my wrist. Once I realized that this was how they kept us magical students from taking off our bracelets, I stopped trying to take it off. I had to have looked pretty stupid because a boy a couple seats away from the bus doors laughed at me. So, naturally, I sat next to him.

"Hello," he greeted after his short fit with laughter had subsided. "I'm Fuuma."

He had short, spiky black hair and round glasses. He looked kind and almost familiar to me. I extended my hand.

"I'm Fai," I offered with a smile.

* * *

Fuuma was a nice guy. I found out that he was seventeen just like me, he liked the sounds of Miley Cyrus, and he had a boyfriend that was a non-magical human. He said the last one a little strangely though. Like he wasn't sure if it was true. I didn't press it, after all who was I to do that?

He was also nice enough to tell me that we had to go to an assigned classroom to get our schedules and the other things he mentioned that I couldn't remember. Our names were posted in alphabetical order in different hallways. So I was in classroom number...2134. I wondered about what was in there and realized that I wouldn't find out unless I went there...of course.

So I did. In that room there were a lot of people. Well, not a lot really. But there was a lot of magic.

For a school that was attempting to integrate magical and non-magical people, they sure did a good job of seperating us...

How odd.

I looked around the room as I made my way to an empty seat somewhere near the middle of the classroom. A lot of people in 2134 had their tattoos visible. Some were crawling across their cheekbones, smack dab in the center of their foreheads and one even had their tattoo snaking around his arm. It was quite impressive.

Oh wait. I didn't explain that did I?

When a magical child is born they have a tattoo. The tattoo shows their power type and their potential within that power type. Mine, for example is on my back, well across my back really, and it's power type is Ice (wind + water). So I can use either wind or water. The size of my tattoo is the reason why I have to wear a bracelet, though if it's detailed it's pretty much the same as being huge. My power has 'almost limitless potential', or so Ashura said.

"Since this is my first year teaching," the teacher, a lithe male with a long black ponytail, said cheerfully as he passed out our first day things. "You guys will have to be patient."

I opened the plastic bag he laid on my desk. Inside there was a rule book, a contract, two pencils (...huh?), three spare bracelets and a school pin. I pulled out the rule book and contract, curious to see what this school would subject us to.

_I (insert name here) agree to all the terms stated in the Student Handbook..._

It was pretty much your standard everyday student contract. There wasn't a word on there that made me raise my eyebrow in suspicion, surprisingly so. I flipped through the rulebook and saw that there was a section for magical students and a separate one for non-magical students. Somewhat weird.

"I need all of you to sign this and bring it back tomorrow," the teacher said. "Your parents have to sign it too."

I looked up at the front of the room and beyond my teacher's shoulder was his name, written in fancy, curly, loopy cursive. Mr. Ashura. I had thought that Ashura was an uncommon name, guess I was wrong. I put everything back in the bag and waited as Mr. Ashura passed out our schedules.

"Remember," he spoke in between calling out students' names. "That this will not be just your homeroom for the entire year. Only for the first quarter. After that you will either be switched into a class that's actually integrated or you will stay in here but receive different students. It all depends on what the school decides to do with you."

So this school's into uprooting students...? That's a little strange.

* * *

My first real class of the day was Basics of Magic, a requirement to graduate. Trust me, I already had the basics of magic. But apparently this was more for the non-magical students than for the magical ones. For one, non-magical students had to take it as well as magical students in order to find latent powers. Two, it gave us magical students an opportunity to be in an environment where we could gain experience in teaching others. And lastly, Basics of Magic was a class where discrimination wasn't allowed so it was an even playing field right off the bat!

In front of me there was a broad shouldered, tall boy with black spiky hair that reminded me a little bit of Fuuma. He was slouched over and hadn't said a word since I got in the classroom. It looked almost like he was waiting to pounce on some one and -

"You clumsy oaf!" a lanky boy screamed. "How dare you get in the way of the great Watanuki-sama! Bow down and kiss my feet and I _might _forgive you!"

"Hn," the other boy grunted plugging one of his ears with his pinky to block out the very loud boy's rant.

"Why you-!" he half threatened. I caught sight of his tattoo. It was in his eye and it gave his eye a gold-like look to it. That was first time I'd seen a magical tattoo in the eye. He must have been powerful. "I swear I'll wring your neck!"

"Be quiet," the stoic boy ordered looking no less fed up than he did a second ago.

"Fine!" Watanuki-sama conceded. "We'll settle this later, but only because class is about to start and I am more dignified than to hold up class with this argument."

Later? But the other boy didn't have a trace of magic that I could sense. How would they settle it later if they're from different sides? I felt intrigued by this but had no chance to feed my curiosity because the teacher walked in.

She was a tall, busty, beautiful woman with a dangerously low cut top. It seemed that from her leaked power, although she was wearing a bracelet too. The small silver trinket seemed only to be an accessory and had no real use of binding her powers to the point that the rest of us were. She sauntered in the room slowly, as if she were walking on the currents of air that was provided by the cranked up A/C.

"I am Yuuko," she spoke as slowly as she walked with as much attitude as well. "Your Basics of Magic teacher."

She wrote her name on the board and then passed out packets of paper to the first person in each row, "This is the course outline, but really this is just so that the School Board doesn't get mad at me for not making one of these."

Yuuko-san sat perched on the edge of her desk with her arms crossed. From behind her long sleeved red jacket I could see back coils on her wrists, and with how much power she was exuding, I would doubt that her whole body was covered in those same coils.

"You!" she pointed at Watanuki-sama. He jumped at the harshness of her tone. "Don't worry, he thinks of you the same way."

"W-what are you talking about?!" Watanuki-sama shouted as his face heated up.

"Your wish," Yuuko-san smiled knowingly and then nodded at the stoic boy from before. She turned around and walked over to the back corner of the room as the class outline got closer to me. "That's right, I am a wish seer, and I have foresight. So if you plan on making excuses in this class think again."

She strode over to me and tapped on my desk, "Get ready to meet fate."

I looked up at her questioningly with my head tilted, "What?"

She nodded as the boy in front of me turned around to drop the outline on my desk. He looked up at me and I held my breath. He was _nothing _like Fuuma. Dark red eyes. Deep tan skin. Oh, nothing like Fuuma at all. He stared for a second and then started to glare at me.

"Stop staring at me," he ordered gruffly.

"Sorry," I apologized feeling a streak of mischief run through me. "But you're so attractive, that I'm afraid that's impossible Fate-san!"

_End of Warmest Wishes_

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**A/N: **Well, I didn't expect to bring Kuro-tan in so late in the chapter. But I have to say that his entrence was a lot of fun to write! Don't worry. We'll get more on this scene next chapter and we'll get to see some of what Fai was talking about in his little introduction. I didn't really include it in here since the magical and non-magical kids were so segregated. So, just hold on for the real world of this fic. I hope you guys like it. It took me a while to really write this, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"...'Man! Kamui's gonna kick his ass!' one boy yelled as he leaned over my table. I heard loud voices, obscene language and a lot of pounding on the surface of the tables but I didn't feel the least bit upset by it until I heard Fuuma's voice over the din..."_


	2. Fate's Twists

**A/N: **Here's the second installment. Honestly this was meant to be a surprise fic for all of you guys, my loyal and lovely readers. So enjoy it! I didn't even tell my two closest writing confidants about this fic! (**Charrmy** and **Wallpaper**, for those of you who don't know). I am having a hard time trying to come up with mean names for magic users, but maybe that will be later...For now I want to stress how different the worlds of the magial and non-magical are. Hopefully that is being conveyed at this point in the fic. **Bus Tickets**is nearly done so that'll be up soonly!

Oh I have exciting news! I got a fictionpress account!! I've already got one chapter of an ORIGINAL story posted. The name, if your interested, is **Sabaku No RIn**. I'm somewhat nervous about posting on there but I've already got a favorite so I hope that means more to come! Drop me a line there if you're in the area! XD lol!

**Summary: **_The day progresses with very little progress..._

**Warnings: **Shonen-ai (ish...ALREADY? Yes...somewhat. Don't get too excited...), Swearing (...are you pulling my leg? Nope. There is swearing in this chapter!! That's right RIn is back!) and abstract Fai thinking (hard to pull off, but maybe it came out right?)

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Arc 1: Our Differences

**Chapter 2**

"My name is Kurogane!" he yelled at me causing his hair to seemingly stand up on end.

It was weird. I could clearly sense that he didn't have a trace of magic running through his body, yet I felt this insatiable sensation that I was being pulled in by him. I felt myself smile at his anger.

"I didn't ask you for your name though," I pointed out hoping he'd continue to get angrier and agrier. "And Fate-san suits you better anyway."

Kurogane's eyes seemed to catch on fire at this, "IT DOES NOT!"

"From where I'm sitting," God this was too easy. "It does..."

I saw him wind up for another scream at me but Yuuko-san stopped him in mid-bellow, "This is a class Kurogane, not a gun range, lower your voice."

There was something clearly proud and defiant in his spirit but instead of challenging her he muttered colorful phrases under his breath as he turned around, looking at me out of the corner of his eye all the while. I felt as if my magic was invigorated by this small moment with 'Kurogane'. I felt every cell in my body pass electricity between each other as I thought about more horribly inventive ways to amuse myself with 'Kurogane'. My mind kept going back to that, getting more and more pumped up as the ideas began to flow.

Nicknames.

That was gold!

Suddenly a small shock of light stung me around my wrist. I looked down and saw that my bracelet had dissolved into particles of shiny silver dust on the top of my wrist and my desk. I felt confused. I had thought that the bracelets were supposed to bind your magic, not break at the first hint of excitement. What was going on?

Eyes were on me. The whole class had stopped in the middle of Yuuko-san passing out the first assignment of the semester. They were all looking at me. The magical ones looked scared, slightly horrified. The non-magical ones just looked dumbfounded. My eyes searched the room a little frantically.

"I-I...I didn't mean to," I stuttered uncharacteristically in a state of shock. "It just..."

Yuuko-san calmly told the class to finish looking over the assignment and told the loud kid in the first row to finish passing out the assignment and then instructed me to follow her into the hall. I did as I was told to, of course. I didn't want to get in trouble on the first day, but it seemed as though it was unavoidable since she was going to talk to me in the hallway. Ever since primary school you know that getting a talking to in the hallway was _never_ a good thing.

She was leaning up against the wall when I got out there, "Um...yes?"

"Fai," she began clearly. "It's okay, you're not in trouble."

I breathed an internal sigh of relief. Thank God. I hadn't done anything wrong to begin with.

"But I should warn you," Yuuko-san got this serious look on her face that made it seem like power was radiating from every one of her pores. "That if the bracelet breaks from you just getting a little riled up in class, that you should learn to control your magic a little more."

I nodded. It was easier to just agree. I thought I had a pretty good hold on my magic.

"Technically, we're supposed to report anything like this to the principals," she said sounding as if that was too much of a hassle for her busy day. "But I'm not going to. If something like this happens again, don't expect anyone else to let you off the hook."

I nodded again. I offered no questions or adversity to my teacher, she was after all letting me get away with this. She rolled her neck and motioned for me to go back into the class. She however went the other way without another word.

"Where are you going?" I asked wondering about who would run the class.

"To get a snack from the teacher's lounge," she told me as she continued to walk away. "I'm sure you guys will be able to manage on your own for the few minutes I'm gone."

Well, it wasn't my classroom, so who was I to argue? Besides, have you ever known a student to argue when their teacher is giving them a freedom like this? I pushed the door open and was met with a wall of inquisitive eyes. Each of them asked a different question.

Watanuki (the loud kid): "Where is the teacher?"

Fate-san (Kurogane): "You got in trouble didn't you?"

Doumeki (the quiet one): "When's lunch?"

So maybe that wasn't exactly what he was thinking but I swear as I walked back to my seat behind Fate-san I heard him ask Watanuki what he brought for lunch. Which was met with a rant about how Doumeki never appreciated his culinary prowess, about how this talent was wasted on an ape of a man! And many other things that I felt would become commonplace in the near future.

"I got in trouble," I lied as soon as I sat down behind Kurogane.

"So what?" he replied trying to feign nonchalance. He wasn't doing so well.

For one, you don't look at the person you're trying to remain indifferent to. He was pretty much staring at me. Well, my hand anyway.

"You're interested right, Fate-san?" I said folding my hands under my chin to rest on, a devious look set on my mouth.

"N-NO!" He turned red at the implication. "Who would be interested in _you_?!"

"Well it would appear you...becau-"

"HELL NO!"

"-se you thought I was talking about myself," I pointed out absolutely loving this conversation. "I was talking about the fact that you wanted to know about why I was in trouble."

Kurogane turned away with this hard, pissed off expression that made me buzz with excitement. Thank God he did this, otherwise I would have completely forgotten to put on one of my spare bracelets. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, the color in his face mostly gone by this point. Of course I couldn't have that happening. Now could I?

I smiled at him and he finally looked at me straight on, "I have a feeling that this will be a beautiful friendship!"

"Why you-!"

* * *

My other classes weren't nearly as exciting. I didn't have Kurogane in there. Nor did I have Fuuma. It was shaping up to be a pretty dismal year with the classes I had lined up. First I had to take classes that I had taken at my old school. Something about how my credits didn't transfer. What kind of crap was that?! It wasn't like I was taking Advanced Governmental Practices of the Victorian Era or anything like that!

So I was stuck in a remidial Configuartion class. On top of that, oh yes, we had a project. One that I had (for the most part) completed at my old school. This was so horribly redundant I was ready to rock myself to sleep with real rocks. And it wasn't even lunch time!

Ahhhh!

How could it be?! It was so frustrating.

But then lunch came around and once I got into the cafeteria and saw that their were no segregation rules to follow, I set out to find Kurogane. Maybe pissing him off would make me feel better? That was selfish right? Well...No one ever said I wasn't selfish.

I walked into the cafeteria hauling a load of books with me. My arms hurt. My head hurt. And I was fed up with the non-magical humans calling me names. Not really calling me names, more like yelling names. It was stupid and petty. We were high schoolers, not elementary students! I scanned the open area. It looked like the magical students and the non-magical students had drawn an invisible line in the plastic-y floor and they had all opted to not sit together.

If I was the only one at that school who understood the meaning of desegragation then there was a problem...

I noticed that on both sides of this invisible line there were empty benches, as if to divide us even further. Maybe all it took was one person to change that? Maybe some one could be a hero and sit with a non-magical student to break the mounting tension in the room. I looked around and saw that I was apparently the only person who had these thoughts.

But I didn't beeline to Kurogane's table to be a hero. I did it, essentially, for my self. I needed to let out my frustrations in my own way and Kurogane was the _best_ person for this job. I slammed my books down on the table and wiped an invisible layer of sweat off of my forehead.

"What the- !"

"I was thinking about it," I began as I felt all eyes size me up on both sides. "And I really don't think that Kurogane fits you."

Kurogane didn't seem to notice or really care about the fact that every set of eyes in the room was evaluating our conversation, "Then what do you suggest?"

He really shouldn't have made it too easy for me, "Kuro-tan." I would take advantage of something like that...

I saw his face light up with embarrassment. Oh how fun it was to torment him. He didn't seem like the type to put up with this sort of thing. So why in the world would he put up with me? That was like asking to be tortured. I sat down directly across from him and felt, not for the first time that day, that fate was pulling me into his orbital. I felt a little like I was blaming my blatant attraction to this guy on fate...but honestly I didn't really care. It's not like anything could happen anyway.

"-'s not my fuckin' name!" he shouted angrily as I snapped away from my thoughts.

"Who cares?" I asked waving my hand at him. "Your name doesn't suit me. So I thought I'd take it upon myself to rename you!"

The eyes on my back lessened a considerable amount. Around us the lunch room seemed to resume its usual activities, as if we did nothing out of the ordinary. Even Kurogane seemed to settle into the normalcy of the lunch room, just a little bit more angry than the usual student.

"Doesn't suit you?" he parroted in a rough voice. "The hell does that mean?"

I looked at him from out of the corner of my eye and raised my eyebrows. Had I really said that? "What?"

Kurogane looked perturbed by me to say the least, "It's what you said. Why don't you explain it to me?"

"You must be imagining things Kuro-chuu!" I exclaimed trying to knock him off balance with a huge, fake, smile. "I would never say anything like that!"

I saw him roll his eyes, "Why are you sitting with me anyway?"

For some reason this offended me, "Why not? You're an interesting guy."

His face drew up in confusion and before he could say anything from between his lips a kid leaned over our table, nearly knocking me over in the process. The kid persistently pushed and pushed at me. He kept yelling about something that I couldn't understand and eventually the whole cafeteria was in an uproar.

"Man!! Kamui's gonna kick his ass!" I heard one guy yell as a wall of girlish sounding voices cheered for a fight. The same kid that kept pushing me jumped up on the tables, following the example of nearly half the cafeteria. Suddenly there were people rushing to our table from all sides. I felt people push me and shove me and I felt as if my paitence was wearing thin. The bracelet around my wrist hummed in a warning to calm down but the people around me kept bombarding me with their stupid need to see the fight.

The magic within me rushed through me but before I could release any of it to even break the bracelet, I felt Kurogane wrap his arms around me.

"Calm the fuck down," he ordered in a low tone in my ear. "Getting mad isn't going to make this any better."

I snorted, "Shows what you know."

"I'm not talking about magic," he snapped as he held my head close to his chest.

I felt him move through the crowd, the din moving to a place far behind us. I knew we were walking slow but it felt more to me like we were just gliding through the chaos. His body was warm and I couldn't help but feel swept up by him. But, I knew that he was only holding me so close so that we didn't get hurt in the spectators to the fight that 'Kamui' was going to win. It didn't mean anything really.

He finally stopped walking and let go of me when we were far enough away that the sounds from the fight were nothing more than whispers in the dark hallway. I glanced at him, a little scared of what I might see in his face.

"What?" he barked gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest.

I shook my head, "Just thinking about new names for you."

* * *

The rest of the day was hard to get through. After the fight at lunch there were magical and non-magical security guards patrolling every hallway. They were equipped with the best gear in their industry. Stun guns and night sticks for the non-magical ones and magic eaters and black outs for the magical police. A magic eater is pretty much the same as a stun gun but instead of just shocking the target it also absorbs the attack magic that was intended for another person, or even the police officer. They're a lot safer than stun guns simply because they only absorb the immediate attack magic in the target's body and nothing else. But their shock is just as powerful as a stun gun.

Black outs...well those are the same as night sticks we just call them that because that's the name of the company that first started developing police weaponry for both magical and non-magical squads. There really is no difference at all.

Instead of going to the rest of our classes, we had to go back to homeroom until the fiasco had been dealt with. Unfortunately that took the rest of the day. So I spent my time sitting in my homeroom class watching old movies about bus safety and abstinence. They were the only movies that Mr. Ashura had been given at the start of the year, according to him. I left the school with a bitter taste in my mouth. All I could think about was Kurogane.

Why did he take me out of harm's way like that?

Why?

It didn't make any sense to me. All I was to him was an annoying classmate. All he was to me was some one to piss off. Even if Yuuko-san seemed to think that he was my fate, all we were right now were classmates. That's it.

So what difference would it make to him if I got scraped in the ecstacy of a fight?

_End of Fate's Twist_

* * *

**A/N: **You'll find out about the fight in the next chapter. I actually want Fai's and Kuro's relationship to move faster in this fic than in Bus Tickets, just because I thought that they were already connecting in Yuuko's yard the first time they met. But, meh, maybe that's just me. They're bond was obviously gonna grow. I just want to demonstrated something similar to that in this fic. As opposed to the slower, sweeter development of Bus Tickets KuroFai.

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"...'Went to work. I'll be home around midnight. Dinner is in the oven, save me some and lock the doors before you go to bed...Ashura.' I discarded his note and peeked in the oven. Ashura worked for the government locating dangerous people/weapons/etc and he also worked at the 7-11 over the train tracks. Why he worked those two jobs was beyond me...'_


	3. Flirtatious Intentions

**A/N: Happy Graduation!!! **Yes, some people graduated forever ago, I graduated a few weeks ago, but I haven't had time to post. Not to mention...Computer issues. Yes. Computer Issues. They do not like me. Simple as that. But yes. Congrats to all that have graduated like me. Like: Charmmy!!! Congrats darling~! Sorry it's so late people. =.=

**Summary:** _The secret of the Lunch Battle is revealed!!_

**Warnings: **Swearing...(Yeah. You heard me!), Shameless Flirting (Yay!! You know you like it!), and Self doubt (Awww... )...Yaoi? (It's not what you think, honestly. Okay, so maybe it is...XP)

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Arc 1: Our Differences

**Chapter 3**

I got on the bus and looked for Fuuma. It was easy to spot him, he was the one with the black eye. I walked over to where he sat and assumed my seat next to him.

"What happened to you Fuuma?" I asked feeling nosey and concerned.

He touched his swollen eye, "Oh this?" He flinched, "You know that fight at lunch?"

I nodded, "What about it?"

He sighed, "I was involved in it."

I waited for him to continue, "Well, what happened?"

"It's hard to explain..." Fuuma rubbed the back of his neck with an expression of agony. Then his face lit up, "You have magical power so this will work..."

"What will work?" I wondered a little startled by Fuuma's sudden change in mood.

He put his hands on the side of my face and stared into my eyes. At first I just felt uncomfortable with Fuuma that close to me but then I saw his memories of earlier that day playing back to me in his eyes. The more I focused on the memory the clearer it became and then sound came with it too. I was sucked into Fuuma's memory easily.

_"Kamui," Fuuma walked up to an angry looking kid. "We need to talk."_

_The kid flipped his hair, "Why would I talk to the likes of you?"_

_Kamui's group gave Fuuma snide looks but Fuuma was too concentrated on Kamui to even care or notice those looks. Fuuma took a hold of Kamui's elbow and dragged him to a secluded section of wall not too far from the lunch line that was winding down. Kamui didn't put up much of a fight and seemed almost relaxed when Fuuma got him by himself. _

_"I know you have magical powers," Fuuma said in a serious tone. "So why aren't you in the magical section of the school?"_

_Kamui looked appalled, "What the hell are you talking about?!"_

_"You know what I'm talking about," Fuuma's voice was low and threatening. "You know what I can do to make them switch you over."_

_"You're crazy Fuuma," Kamui pointed out as he tried to walk away. _

_Fuuma grabbed onto his elbow again and waved his hand in front of his own face. A gold dust followed his hand and then his face was replaced by an exact replication of Kamui's. Kamui looked unimpressed and defensive. _

_"So what? You can change your face that doesn't mean anything," he said harshly as he pulled his elbow away for the second time. _

_Fuuma took a hold of Kamui's bicep this time and turned him around, "My face isn't the only part of me that changes Kamui."_

_His eyes widened. He knew exactly what Fuuma was talking about and I was missing half of the conversation, "A-and?"_

_"Don't forget," Fuuma leaned in close and whispered in Kamui's ear. "I've seen your entire body." _

_Kamui went ballistic and I saw an electric current, small enough to be undetectable, shoot out of his palms and hit Fuuma at their close range. Then when Fuuma hit the wall behind him Kamui started in with the punches. First the stomach, then the face. Then there was the black eye. Fuuma didn't even try to block him as Kamui took out his anger on the object of his anger. _

_Soon enough the whole school was surrounding them and then the police intervened. Calling Fuuma trouble maker, they escorted them both out of the cafeteria. _

_Suddenly the memory changed to a dark room with two people breathing heavily on a futon. _

"Uh, sorry about that Fai," Fuuma apologized as I was thrown from his memories.

I shook my head, the sounds of Fuuma and Kamui, I assumed, stuck in my head, "It's...It's okay."

"I still don't have total control over this power," he told me, completely brushing the subject of the fight aside. "It just appeared in the middle of summer."

"Ah," I knew exactly what he meant. New powers were hard to get a hold of. Especially psychic ones like Memory Transfer. "So...what is Kamui to you exactly?"

Fuuma didn't look at all offended by my question, a little nostalgic but not offended, "He is my oldest and closest friend."

"Oh really?" I asked raising one eyebrow. "Looked like more than that to me..."

"Haha, Fai," Fuuma sounded like a much older person talking about how rascally us young folks were. "That was over the summer too...Kamui feels weird having me close at school."

I nodded my head not wanting to pry any deeper than that. It wasn't my business, but if I were Fuuma I don't think I'd be able to take it if the one I loved was in denial about our love and about his own power. Not that gracefully at least...Fuuma was...more patient than I ever could be.

* * *

I had to unlock the front door to my house that day, which was odd in itself since Ashura hadn't said anything to me about that earlier that morning. But, of course since he hadn't that could only mean one thing.

I walked into the kitchen and found the reassurance I was looking for, a note taped to the fridge.

_Fai,_

_I have to work at 7-11 until midnight tonight. Dinner is in the oven, just leave a little bit for me. Make sure you do your homework, the dishes and any other chores that need to be done. Stay safe and don't have any wild parties._

_-Ashura_

I snorted and put the note down on the breakfast table next to me. I had never understood why Ashura got a non-magical job. It wasn't like he was hurting for the money like some families out there. He was employed by the government to find missing people/terrorists/weapons or anything else the government might need to find. So why did he work at a dingy old 7-11 across the train tracks?

I never had the chance to ask him.

Instead of eating dinner like I probably should have, I wandered into the living room and turned on the T.V. It was strange how empty the house was when Ashura wasn't around. I sat there, letting the mind numbing programming fill the silence of my home.

* * *

The next day Fuuma (who's black eye seemed to have healed within hours of him getting it) and I were greeted at the main entrance with a magic scanner. Our bracelets were activated, why the extra precautions? Well...I knew why for me personally, but it didn't make sense to scan the whole school. I didn't feel so targeted though. The non-magical humans had metal detectors waiting for them.

I walked through and the sides of it lit up green. I was okay to go. Some students weren't so lucky and were quickly taken away for questioning and/or punishment. I went to homeroom feeling a little shaky about this desegregated school experience. The bell rang and other students filed in, each looking scared or confused. Mr. Ashura stood up and smiled at us gently. His smile seemed to almost wipe out the worry in the room. Almost.

"Since yesterday was the first day of school and there was already a fight," he started as he twisted his fingers together in troubled knots. "We will be having the magic scanners until the end of the semester. If nothing goes wrong by then, the school board said that they would take them down."

I glanced around the room quickly. No one looked the least bit relieved by this information.

The thing about magic scanners is that it zaps attack magic when it is sensed. For those with a majority of healing magic, it's okay. But the ones who are built on attack magic, it's a little more hazardous. Magic scanners look for attack magic and then gauge how agitated the magic is. For instance, if some one's presiding element is fire (a naturally aggressive element) and they just happened to get into a fight with their parents that very morning the magic scanner would zap their magic temporarily so that the authorities had time to haul them away.

Supposedly the company who monopolizes the magic scanners is working on the afteraffects: dizziness, confusion, coma, lowering of magical abilities permenately, and pink eye. There have been extremes where people have lost entire abilities to the scanner, but those cases are pretty rare. Who wants to take the risk though? For magical people, magic is pretty much all we have.

"I know you guys are worried," Mr. Ashura continued, his face stressing to stay positive. "But we teachers have been informed that the magic scanners are top of the line and that they have new technology in them that senses malice instead of irritation."

That was a lie and we all knew it.

We all knew it was a lie because non-magical humans owned the company that made magic scanners.

* * *

Yuuko carried on her class like nothing at all changed in the school. She told us to pair off into teams to start on the assignment she gave us yesterday, due by the end of the week, and then she slipped out of the room only to return with a glass bottle of coke. I naturally chose Kurogane. Who better to spend my time with than with someone who hates me? Though I felt a little awkward given yesterday's closeness...He seemed fine with just glaring at me and insulting me.

"So..." I trailed off not knowing how to start the conversation. "You have anyone?"

Shit! Not that! Why did I not think before talking?

"Not at the moment," he replied shrugging at me. "But class just started."

Oh thank God. He didn't understand what I meant.

"We're working together then!" I exclaimed patting his chest as I moved my chair over to the other side of his desk.

He turned to me quickly, "Just when did you get to make all the God damned decisions?!"

"Language, Kuro-myuu," I whispered pulling out the assignment sheet from yesterday. "Language."

Kurogane snorted and turned his eyes away from me, "Whatever."

We sat there quietly for a second before an uncomfortable silence settled between us. I opened my mouth to break it with words I hadn't yet come up with but Kurogane beat me to the punch.

"Don't think yesterday meant anything," he warned giving me a look that said it all.

It was unfair though, Kurogane didn't seem to be like a typical non-magical person, "I wouldn't dream of it. But that warning doesn't explain why you saved me from the crowd~!" I sang only because I was curious.

He snapped his head back to me and seemed to struggle with words. So I took the chance to make him stumble even further.

"You want to know why I think you did it?" I asked leaning towards him as I spoke.

"No."

I smiled at him broadly, the feeling hurt my mouth, "I think you're so attracted to me that you couldn't stand to see me in peril."

Kurogane turned bright red, "The hell I am!!"

I leaned back in my chair as Yuuko reprimanded him from behind her oak desk. He just scowled at her as she did this, the color refusing to fade from his cheeks. I found this to be really, really interesting. Was he attracted to me?

No I shouldn't jump to conclusions. We only met yesterday after all, how could he like me, he didn't even know me. But then how could I be attracted to him? I didn't know him. I shook my head. Damn this day was going to be slow.

Kurogane stared at me as if I was the reason his life sucked. I just smiled at him. That seemed to infuriate him even more. So I waved.

"Why do you act like that?" he asked as his voice seethed in anger.

I tilted my head to the side, "Like what?"

"Like you're happy."

I blinked at him, my mind drawing a blank. "I am happy," I lied.

"No you're not," he stated simply with nothing else behind this thought.

I felt as if it was my turn to sputter out and die, like I had absolutely nothing to say. "And why would you say that?"

In spite of my issue with Kurogane's random insight, I didn't stutter or let my voice fluctuate. I couldn't give myself away like that. It would be too easy for Kurogane to pick up on that.

"Your eyes," Kurogane said this so seriously. It seemed like he stepped out of himself to say that.

And bingo, I had him in a place where I could get out.

"Wow!" I exclaimed placing my hands on top of his hands. "I didn't know you were looking into my eyes this whole time! That's so romantic!"

He pulled his hands away from mine, his rough skin rubbing against me as his warmth left, "Oh shut up."

* * *

To be honest, I was apprehensive about sitting with Kurogane at lunch. All through my classes I thought about how he'd been able to see through me in such a short period of time. I couldn't come up with anything. Maybe he had a magic all his own. A magic that could see through disguises, because I was wearing the biggest and best disguise of them all.

He shouldn't have been able to see through me and yet he did.

But before I could change courses and find another place to eat I was already sitting across from Kurogane on the borderline of magical and non-magical people, insanity and sanity. I hadn't even realized that I had walked from my last classroom to the lunch room until I was taking my place at Kurogane's table. I caught his eye as I settled into my seat, he looked surprised to see me sitting across from him.

"Don't look at me like that," I ordered playfully. "I could never turn down a lunch date with you."

He shook his head, "Do you ever shut up?"

"Only if I'm forced to," I reached over and slapped his hand. "And I think I'd like to see you try!"

"Don't test me, mage," he warned a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

That sounded like a challenge, "Mage...? That's interesting. Normally people don't call me that. They call me pain in the ass, stupid, Fai-that-idiot and dumbass."

Kurogane shook his head, "You really don't know the meaning of 'shut the hell up', do you?"

"'Fraid not," I shrugged and opened up the paper bag lunch that Ashura made for me. "So...why do you sit with me?"

"I don't."

I tilted my head, "Really?"

He nodded, "You sit with me. You would even if I told you not to."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked feeling as if I was try to break him open with this question.

He looked at me like he meant to say 'duh', but he didn't verbally announce that I was a bother. I smiled at him and took a bite of an apple.

"I knew you liked me!" I exclaimed taking one of my hands and grabbing at his.

"Shut up!" he shouted.

But he didn't contradict what I said. He only told me to shut up. I pushed that thought to the side and spent the rest of my lunch time shamelessly flirting with him and wondering if he really did...like me.

* * *

Since the first day of school was spent mostly in homeroom, due to Fuuma's and Kamui's loverspat, I didn't get the chance to go to the rest of my classes. As it turned out, right after lunch I had Home Economics with Mrs. Chii. And Fuuma. And the moody and infamous Kamui.

And Kurogane.

He was already sitting at the round two-person group tables when I walked into class.

"Kuro-tan!!" I called out as I made my way over to him. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Not really," he said as he made this face that seemed to scream 'help me'. "Both of us have to take this class."

Both of us meaning...Non-magical and magical students. Right?

"Yeah, I know that," I told him as I sat down across from him. "I'm just so happy to share this class period with you!"

He stared at my smile, as if he was trying to dissect it. Then he said something like, "You have problems."

In the duration of our first class of Home Economics, Kurogane blushed seventeen times, Kamui smacked Fuuma's hand, Mrs. Chii lost control of the class and one team was switched around. It was a fun class, if a little rambunctious. And hopefully that first class would be the model for the rest of the year. I was starting to like this mixed school. Maybe something amazing would happen.

_End of Flirtatious Intentions_

* * *

**A/N: **And something amazing will happen Fai! Tehe. I have a goal to write to now, so that might mean more updates. More often. Hopefully. Hehe...-.-; Yeah. I've got a lot on my plate this summer (getting married -AHH~!-, moving to FL, lazing my days away!) but once all of that passes, I should have time to post. Thank you guys for being such amazing readers!!!

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"...'Fai, the disposition to use magic is not birth. It's attitude...'"_


	4. COnfusing the Masses

**A/N: **Ahhh sorry I didn't get to post on my birthday (the ninth) I've been so busy with all of the wedding plans, trying to visit people and such. It's been really hectic. I wanted to post this on my b-day (finally 18!!!) like I had done for Bus Tickets last year, but alas, I did not. =.=; It's a good thing I waited though, I had no clue where I wanted this chapter to go and hopefully you'll enjoy it a lot more than my original plan!!!

**Summary: **_In which Fai learns about the complex dynamics of being in love, the nutritional value of Fancy Cakes and that there is more to Kurogane than what he sees..._

**Warnings: **Swearing (...yeah. Shouldn't that be understood by now?), Shonen-ai (Who can live without it, honestly?!) and obvious references to everyone's favorite story (BUS TICKETS!!!)

**

* * *

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**Arc 1: Our Differences**

**Chapter 4**

The rest of the week was unremarkable. Pretty boring, to be honest. The only highlights had been that Kurogane had finally submitted to the names I called him, and Fuuma invited me over to his house (Temple) for the weekend. When I asked him what we were going to do he shrugged with a sunny smile on his face. I agreed to go, not really knowing what to expect.

I followed Fuuma through the front door, the entire house was dark and still. There was an eerie quiet about his place that made me feel unsettled. Fuuma took off his shoes and slipped into a pair of soft blue house shoes. Next to those slippers were two other pairs, one pink, the other a forest green. Both looked like they were child sized. I copied him, but decided to forgo the house shoes, they wouldn't fit me. I knew that much. Fuuma caught me staring at the tiny house shoes.

He laughed, "Those are for Syaoran and Sakura. Only Syaoran and I live here."

That was incredibly lonely sounding. I nodded, "That explains a lot then. I thought that I had to wear those tiny shoes!"

Fuuma chuckled in that familiar fatherly-way before leading me through the rest of the house. He showed me the room where I could drop off my stuff. Strangely there were a lot of extra futons out on the floor, not just one but six or seven. I looked at him questioningly. Fuuma smiled at me like usual and explained that during the weekends his house was usually packed with people and that I was the 'new comer'.

True to his word, within an hour five more people showed up. Granted one of them was the other person who lived in the temple with Fuuma, but the other four were not related to him at all. There was Sakura, who was the same age as Syaoran and was so cute I just wanted to hug her all day. Then there was Toya, Sakura's older brother and long time friend of Fuuma's. Apparently no get together is complete without Toya there. The boy who stuck close to Toya was his 'best friend' Yukito. There was obviously something more going on there. But I wasn't about to make things awkward. If they said they were best friends, then who was I to say I thought otherwise?

The last one to arrive in the big group was a wild card to me, considering the memory Fuuma had shared with me.

The last one to arrive in the big group was Kamui.

I only recognized him from his girlish looks and angry scowl. Was he always unhappy? Kamui seemed to be at home in Fuuma's place, but uncomfortable with the company that Fuuma kept. Was I the only one who knew about their fallout? Everyone else greeted him like they were all best friends, and Kamui had come in with them.

I caught Fuuma in the kitchen, where he was opening up a few bags of what looked like disk shaped candy.

"Fuuma," I called to him as I walked closer. "What's Kamui doing here?"

He looked at me like my concern was appreciated but misplaced, "He is my oldest friend, Fai. He's been coming over to my house for a long time."

"B-but...?" I stuttered in my confusion. "What about school?"

Fuuma waved away my question, "On the weekends, that doesn't matter."

I was stupefied.

What?

So Kamui was allowed to treat Fuuma like the dirt in his fingernails during the school week but then he gets to come over and erase his wrongdoings on the weekends, only to do it all over again when Monday rolls around? My head was spinning from this thought. It was too complicated. Why would anyone agree to that? I had always thought that love, or rather fooling around with someone, was supposed to be about...well...not mistreating the other person.

Fuuma began to walk away, when he was half way to the living room I felt the urge to ask him why he tolerated this. But I was stopped by something much bigger than myself.

Kurogane.

He came into the kitchen as Fuuma was leaving, the two of them sharing a hello and such as they paused on their way to their respective places. Kurogane looked up at me and I felt my heart beating in my throat.

"Kuro-tan?" I asked tilting my head to the side.

Fuuma smiled at the two of us, "You two know each other?"

Kurogane groaned, "Unfortunately."

"Good," and with that Fuuma was back on his course to the living room.

Kurogane brushed passed me and opened up the fridge door. He rummaged around for a bit and then reemerged with a soda, giving one to me before opening his own. I stared curiously at the soda and then at Kurogane. The hell?

"So," I started.

"We have the same history class," Kurogane finished quickly. "He invited me over, I don't live that far from here."

I ran my hands over the cold can, "Is that an invitation?" I waggled my eyebrow at him.

He decided that now would be a good time to spit out his soda, "NO!"

I opened my mouth to tell him how cute he was when Fuuma called to us from the living room, "Kurogane! Fai!"

We walked out there, Kurogane glaring at me from the corner of his eye the few feet that we had to walk together. All of Fuuma's guests watched us with something that looked like drawn in excitement. I sat down next to Toya's 'best friend' as Fuuma passed little pieces of candy out to everyone, except Kamui, who turned it down two people before his turn. I turned the flat disk over in my hands. Fuuma had been opening up these when I wanted to ask him about Kamui, maybe they were like...party things?

This was the first time that I'd spent a weekend away from my home since I was a kid. I didn't know how these things worked, so I assumed it was just candy. I put the disk in my mouth and it started to dissolve on my tongue. In front of me the words 'gender bender' popped up, in various bright colors.

What the hell?

I looked around me, everyone else had yet to eat their disks, only Kurogane looked as confused as I felt. Toya was snickering.

"What did it say?" Sakura asked happily.

"Gender bender..." I said slowly. "Fuuma, like what's going on here?"

I covered my mouth, instead of my usual voice, which wasn't that bad, a series of bouncy syllables came out. Everyone started to laugh. I felt my face turn red.

"I, like, don't get it~!" I cried, sounding like a spoiled girl.

Fuuma quieted his laughter for a moment, "These are Magic Amps. When you eat them you get a power, it can be anything from fire breathing to OCD on speed."

That was an interesting way to say that I was temporarily a girl. I felt my hair twist, when I looked over, I saw my finger twirling my hair around it. My legs were crossed too. Oh God this was weird. I glanced over at Kurogane, he wasn't magical so eating the disk was probably just like eating candy.

Or not.

He was hiccuping bubbles. As far as I knew humans couldn't do that...

So. Wait.

Humans could use these too? But don't you need magical powers to have them amplified?

Apparently not. Because Toya had one, and as far as I could tell he wasn't magical in the slightest. Now he was making different sculptures of ice come out of his hand. Roses. Doves. Trucks. That could be a pretty deadly trick if we were fighting. Thank God we weren't. What kind of damage could I do with my girly talents?

"Okay!" Fuuma stood up, clapping his big hands together. "Who's ready to duel?"

Oh shit.

Toya shot up, "Hell yeah!"

The only person who looked even remotely ready to duel was Fuuma himself. The two of them took their positions on either side of the living room in front of the couch. Toya shot an arrow made of ice at Fuuma.

"Stop." Fuuma said calmly as the physical word 'stop' created a protective shield in front of him.

The arrow stopped and fell to the ground, disappearing in a matter of seconds. Toya sent different forms of ice weapons in rapid fire at Fuuma. Different ways to say 'stop' all appeared around Fuuma, he had quite a broad vocabulary. Then he shot the word 'paralyze' at Toya and the match seemed to be over, with Toya on the ground. He almost looked dead.

Then he stood up, "Okay, who's next?"

* * *

The rest of the night continued similarly. I kept getting stupid powers to duel with while non-magical humans, like Kurogane, kept getting powers worth keeping. There was one match where me and Kurogane faced each other. Kurogane had general telekinesis. I had...cloth dying.

Yes. Cloth dying. Anything I touched turned green/red/purple/whatever color. But I could only change the area that my hands covered and halfway through the match, in frustration I put my hands on my hips. Thus dying two large black hand prints on my blue shirt. And even though I was able to reverse every other thing I dyed (one pink hand print on Kurogane's chest, and one sly green one on his ass...) I couldn't get my shirt to go back to its original color.

Now I stood in the spare room where Kurogane, Toya, Yukito, Syaoran and I would be sleeping. Sakura was going to sleep in Syaoran's room, he was such a gentleman, if a little rude. And Kamui...well although he was a jack ass to Fuuma, he would be sleeping with him. Probably in more ways than one. I watched as Kurogane rummaged through his own things.

"You know," I started a little cautiously. "I can wear my own clothes."

He paused for a moment, if that and then continued to search through his possessions. I stood there, my chest naked, awkwardly waiting for him to finish looking. My damaged shirt laid on the floor next to my futon. It didn't look that bad, and at least I would have something to always remind me of the fun I had. Unlike practically everything else I owned, which held almost no sentimental value. Save for the things that _he_ had given me...

"Oi!" Kurogane called. "Stop daydreaming and put this on."

He tossed a large red shirt at me. Down the side it had a prayer, which seemed a little unusual for someone like Kurogane. I studied the shirt and then eyed him up questioningly. He rolled his eyes at me.

"My friend gave it to me," he explained, this surprised me even more than the prayer did.

"You have friends?" I asked innocently.

What? He seemed more like the loner type.

"WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE HERE?!" he yelled. I imagined his hair standing straight up as he did this.

I laughed. I nearly forgot how much fun it was to make him angry, "Haha. I never pictured you as the mingling type."

"I'm not," he stated gruffly.

For the second time that day confusion washed over me, "Then why are you here...I mean Fuuma would have told you that more people were going to be here, right?"

"He did."

My mind failed to grasp what Kurogane was saying. He made no sense, "Then why are you...?"

"He said you would be here..." he started intently at the ground as his face turned red.

I felt my breath catch in my throat. My entire body stilled, scared that this moment wasn't real. Kurogane brushed passed me.

"Just put the damn shirt on," he ordered as he walked away.

Hurriedly, I put his shirt on.

* * *

Through the night's activities I learned that Yukito loved children's films, Toya hated them (but put up with them to score points with Yukito), Fuuma had a TON of sing-along films, Kamui lipsynced when he thought no one was watching...and Kurogane didn't like any of the movies we watched. I also learned that even though Sayoran was really rude, he was also extremely perceptive. He noticed every little thing that Sakura did and though he was harsh with her he was also gentle.

One time Sakura started to cough. Sayoran stood up and walked out of the room. When he came back he had a glass of water. He didn't say anything to her, didn't talk to anyone else. He just silently held the cup out to her. Then Sakura said 'Thank you' and I swear Sayoran was going to explode. His face was so red it almost radiated in the darkness. He was so sweet to her it was hard to believe that she didn't know about it.

When Sakura and Sayoran went to sleep Fuuma put on the real movies. Since the two were only in primary school, and Fuuma was responsible for Sayoran's well being, we couldn't watch anything over PG. And really, what movies worth watching were under PG? We started a Zombie Movie Marathon. Through this marathon I learned about zombies. To be quite honest I had never seen a zombie movie prior to that night. It was nearly five in the morning when we all decided it was about time we went to sleep.

I walked into the spare room and climbed under the covers of my futon. Ready to let sleep overtake me, I turned to Kurogane and asked him something I probably wouldn't have asked had the Zombie Movie Marathon and late hour not turned my brain into mush.

"Kurogane," I said his full name, strangely enough. "Why did you give me your shirt? I had my own."

I had yet to change out of his shirt.

He grunted, "I wanted to."

"Yeah but-"

"Just shut up and go to sleep." He left no room for argument.

So I just happily shut my eyes and fell into a series of dreams.

* * *

The next morning, for reasons beyond my understanding, I found myself perched over a sleeping Kurogane. I was tickling his nose and saying things to him in a sing-song voice. I don't know what had possessed me to do this. I just rolled over, saw him and felt the overwhelming urge to go somewhere with him. Like I just couldn't stay still and he had to come with me. So, I got up, still in his shirt and the jeans I wore the day before, and started to try to wake him up.

"Wake up~!" I sang quietly, so as to not disturb Toya and Yukito, who were sleeping and cuddling on the other side of the room. "The whole day will pass us by~!"

He smacked my hand. I withdrew for a second but then went to pulling on his bottom lip. He scowled at me and opened one eye.

"Come on, let's go somewhere," I requested poking his lips. They were...soft. Unexpectedly soft.

He growled, swatting at my hand, "Go. Back. To. Sleep."

I held onto the sides of his face and rubbed my nose on his, where this courage came from I don't know, "But I want to go somewhere."

Unswayed, he broke free, face red, and turned over, "No."

Sighing I sat back on my butt, "Please?" My voice sounded weird, almost desperate.

Kurogane rolled over and looked at me. With a somewhat dramatic exhale he stood up, "Fine. We'll go somewhere."

He walked out of the room and I followed a little bit after. I don't know what made me stall, maybe my brain was still trying to process that Kurogane had actually agreed to go somewhere with me. Quietly I left the room and the happy 'friends' to their sleep. When I caught up to Kurogane, he was writing a letter on a grocery list that had been stuck to the fridge.

_Went out with Fai. I'll be back. Hopefully. _

_Kurogane. _

He threw the pen down on the counter and I made a few corrections to his note.

_Went out with Fai. _(crossed out I'll)_ We'll be back _(added soonly). _(crossed out Hopefully)_ _Maybe._

(added LOVE,)

_Kurogane. AND Fai!_

I sat back, satisfied with my quick fix for Kurogane's rough note. No one would want to read something as dry as that little letter he wrote. I heard the front door close, which meant I had to hurry up if I wanted to still go anywhere with Kurogane. I pulled on my shoes and found him waiting for me on the last step leading up to Fuuma's house. It wasn't until I stood next to him and actually had time to feel the world around me that I noticed that the balmy summer that I came home to from vacation was starting to fade into a crisp autumn.

It wasn't really cold like it would be in the months to come, but it was getting there. The leaves on the massive trees of this neighborhood were already beginning to change from deep green to a pale yellow or vibrant red. In the time that I spent standing there staring at the trees, Kurogane was five steps ahead of me. The two of us walked in silence, and for the first time...ever...I felt like I didn't need to fill this quiet with mindless chatter. It was almost like we were comfortable!

Too busy with the thoughts of autumn and mine and Kurogane's comfort levels, I hadn't even noticed that we had walked right up to the front door of a cute little one-story house. Kurogane stuck a key in the keyhole and I honestly have no excuse for my next question. Maybe it was because it was early, maybe I just wanted to talk. Who knows?

"Is this your house?" I asked stupidly. Real smooth, Fai. Real smooth.

He stared at me like I just asked him a dumb question...well I did just ask him a dumb question so the look was well deserved on my part, "Well I'm not breaking and entering. So, yeah. This is my house."

I shook my head and stared at my feet out of sheer embarrassment. That girl ability from the disks was starting to look like a good excuse right about now. He pushed his door open and took off his shoes first thing as he stepped through the door. I mirrored him, not knowing his rules, it was best to just follow his lead.

When I walked passed his small entryway the first thing my eyes found was a little girl, about Sakura's age actually, sitting on the couch watching Saturday morning cartoons. She barely registered us in her bleary state of sleepiness and mind numbing cartoons. Kurogane led me to stand next to the couch. We got over there and she turned her head slowly, not even looking startled as she instantly started to evaluate me. Then her eyes lit up, like she knew something amazing.

"You're Fai!!" she cried excitedly. "Th-the one that Kurogane keeps talking about!!!"

Kurogane turned twenty shades of beautiful red, "That's not true!"

"Yes it is!!" the girl yelled standing up on the couch to demonstrate her excitement. "All I hear about is how Fai did this today and Fai did that and why won't Fai ever shut up," though her voice was high with youth she lowered it to try to sound like Kurogane's low baritone. It was really cute.

"So he always talks about me?" I asked taking a second to glance at Kurogane, who was looking more and more pissed off but much less threatening than at school.

She nodded, "Always."

"Yes, I am Fai, in the flesh. Nice to meet you little girl," I stuck my hand out for her to shake. "What's your name?"

Her small hand fit in mine and she gave my hand a big shake, "Tomoyo. I'm so happy I get to meet you."

"Me too, Tomoyo," I closed my eyes and smiled at her.

Tomoyo smiled at me too and when the two of us opened our eyes I saw the shock on her face when she noticed my choice of attire. She looked absolutely _thrilled_. And she didn't hide the fact that she was quickly becoming a supporter of our not-relationship.

When I glanced back to see Kurogane's reaction to all of this, he was gone. So I sat down on the couch next to Tomoyo, just enjoying her company. The Blushing King came back a few minutes later with breakfast foods of all sorts, donuts, those little snacks in plastic wrapping and a variety of fresh fruit. Then there was of course, the orange juice cartons, milk cartons and apple juice. And inexplicably a can of soda. Who drank soda in the morning?

I picked it up and then looked at Kurogane, hoping that he would understand my questions.

"What?" he shrugged. I just continued to stare at him. "I didn't know what you liked."

"So you brought soda and little debbies?" I asked flicking a fancy cake.

He rolled his eyes, "Just shut up and eat."

So I did. And so did Kurogane and Tomoyo. We all sat around the coffee table drinking cartons of breakfast drinks, eating the donuts and leaving the snack cakes and fruit alone. As we wound down, and Tomoyo got back to her regularly scheduled programming, Kurogane tapped my thigh and motioned for me to follow him. Grabbing the leftover food and one soda, I followed him into his expansive kitchen.

"Set it down there," he instructed me, pointing to the pile of the things he carried in.

I put the stuff with his and turned to him, "So, what did you want?"

He looked perturbed by this question, since I had meant it to have more than just one meaning, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Clearly," I started a little less confidently than before. "You wanted me to know that you talk about me a lot."

He shrugged and seemed a little pissed about this, "How the hell would I know that Tomoyo was going to say that?"

"Why would you introduce me to her if you wanted to keep how you felt a secret?" I was getting closer to him, bridging the gap that had been between us.

Kurogane seemed squirmy but unwilling to back down, "How I felt?" he parroted, not shrinking against the wall as I placed both of my hands on either side of him.

Where this bout of random 'sexiness' came from, I had no idea. Kurogane seemed to pull something out of me that made me want to do things so that he was practically forced to look at me.

I nodded slowly at his question, "How you felt."

For a second it looked like he might actually answer me, but then he took me by my shoulders and pushed me against the wall, "You mean, how I _feel?"_

Unscared and unintimidated by him, I chuckled softly, "Whatever."

Kurogane leaned in and kissed me slowly. It wasn't a perfect kiss like in the movies, neither of us had brushed our teeth yet, my hair was a mess and I was pretty sure that Tomoyo was watching from the doorway. But for me, it felt like the rest of the world just melted away as I looped my arms around Kurogane's neck to keep him from melting away with the world around us.

_End of Confusing the Masses_

* * *

**A/N: **Okay so the last preview wasn't in there, but I think that this is much better than what I had planned. Initially I thought that I would just give a nice glassy overview of the weekend, have nothing happen between Kurogane and Fai but...I like this MUCH more! Who didn't want them to kiss? Huh? You'd have to be crazy to think that! Yeah and about the Bus Tickets references, umm...the shirt, if you'll recall when they did their laundary together and Fai accidentally gave his shirt a shotty dye job. And I kinda felt like Fai asked Kuro-tan to go somewhere with him felt oddly reminiscent of that story. Hope you liked the pimping.

**Preview of Next Chapter: "**_...'How was your weekend, Fai?' Ashura asked as I dragged my feet through the door, my hair disheveled and my face flushed. 'Amazing,' I stated with a huge, and extremely real smile. 'Absolutely amazing!'..."_


	5. Frequently Kissed

**A/N: **I r a married lady now!! =w = Really. I am super happy. The wedding was beautiful and my sister, Natsuo, is making the wedding video. I'll put up directions on how to find it once it is up on youtube!!!

I hope you guys like this chapter. The first few sections were different to begin with, but it seemed too forced to me so I had to change it. And now that I've finished _Lolita _I am only working on _Dracula. _Hopefully I can find another book to read with it concurrently. -nod nod- I like reading two or three books at once. For some reason it helps me focus better on each story. -shrugs- Oh well.

**Summary: **_Have you ever met someone that makes you feel like a complete disaster...?_

**Warnings: **Swearing...(O.o...wut?), HEAVY Shonen-Ai (Like almost in the pant-ai), and some OOC on Fai's part (honestly I think that the situations he is put in would make any character step outside of themselves for a moment or two. All the same tell me if I took it too far.)

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* * *

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Arc 1: Our differences

**Chapter 5**

We sat with Tomoyo in the living room. She eyed Kurogane up like she was mad and giddy all at the same time. I occasionally let my fingers linger over Kurogane's, just to give myself the satisfaction of knowing that I could now do this without worrying over Kurogane's reaction. Each time I did this he would grip my fingers for a moment before letting them go. I felt my heart beat harder every time.

Every now and then Kurogane would tilt my head up and kiss my lips lightly. No pressure. Just a simple kiss that made me shiver.

It felt...almost _romantic..._

"Do you want to go back to Fuuma's house yet?" he asked me in a whisper.

I looked up at him from my crooked angle, I was leaning against his chest, "Uh...is Tomoyo okay here by herself?"

Tomoyo turned her eyes to me, like she had some sort of internal sensor for when people were talking about her. "I'm not alone," she simply stated before going back to her cereal and cartoons.

I glanced at Kurogane, "What?"

"My parents are here," he told me a decible above whispering.

I pushed myself up, via his muscular thigh, and nipped his ear, "Is that why you're whispering?" I blew softly into his ear and watched as he shook.

He didn't answer me. So I kissed the soft crook of skin behind his ear.

"Be careful," he warned in a low growl.

I kissed it again, "Or else..." I kissed the first peak of his jaw bone, "What?"

Kurogane held his breath, saving it for a rainy day I supposed. I traced his jawline with my lips, dragging them across his sun kissed flesh. Placing one of my hands in his hair I held him in place, just to make sure he didn't try to pull away. While it felt odd to me that I could be this bold, at the same time I felt like I had done this before, like I was seasoned with experience instead of being awkward with inexperience. Kurogane took a hold of my waist with both of his hands and tore his face away from my lips.

"We're in front of Tomoyo, Fai," he informed me in a low tone.

"Really?!" I asked in mock surprise.

I peered over at Tomoyo, who turned around to wave at me happily. It seemed like she knew exactly what to do to aid me in torturing Kurogane. That girl would quickly become my best friend if she kept this up. Kurogane rolled his eyes.

"I don't want her to see you acting like this," Kurogane breathed into my hair.

I wondered for a moment if he was playing with me, right before a tingle crept up my spine.

Tomoyo let out an indignant huff, "Why? I see your parents do it all the time."

Kurogane's head snapped to scold Tomoyo. Unfortunately at the same time he went to look at her, I was leaning towards the crook of his neck to rest my heavy head. We ended up colliding with a loud sound to prove it. My head throbbed mercilessly as I pulled back and leaned agains the plush blue couches of Kurogane's living room.

"Oh God..." I groaned. "That really hurt." I laughed a little bit at how funny the whole thing was.

Seriously. Who bumps heads with someone they've been going out with for only an hour? No. Literally bumps heads with them.

Kurogane stood up with one hand on his forehead, "I'll go get you some ice."

"Thanks," I mumbled as I massaged the pained parts of my head.

He stumbled back into the living room and handed me an ice pack that was lovingly wrapped with paper towels. I took it and laughed once again. Honestly. This was going to be one strange relationship, wasn't it?

* * *

We walked back to Fuuma's house later on in the day. Actually it looked like it might have been morning to the rest of the people in his Temple. Most everyone was sleepily shuffling about the first floor, waiting for energy to zap them so that they could get on with their day, when we walked through his door. I took a hold of Kurogane's hand roughly, much to his protest. The more he struggled the more affectionate I got with him.

First he pulled his hand out of mine with little drama on his part. So I took a hold of his arm and rubbed my face on his bicep. When he yanked it away from me I looped my index fingers through the belt loops on his jeans and stood on the tips of my toes in order to kiss the back of his neck. This progression of affection was all executed as he led me through the entrance, over the small step, across a small stretch of hallway and finally into the living room. When he pulled my hands away from his hips I moved to walk in front of him, grabbing the front of his shirt to give him a hard kiss on the lips.

He grabbed my shoulders, probably with the intent to push me away from him. But he held me there for a moment, giving me as much pressure as I gave him. We parted, my mind reeling with the dizziness of our kiss. There was this small glimmer of electricity zipping over my lips, like their had been a connection of magic between our breathless lips during that one kiss. I touched my finger tips to my tongue, tasting the magic for a sober second before looking around us to see that Fuuma, Toya, and Syaoran staring at us with wide eyes.

"I-I," I stuttered while moving my hand between the space that had formed in my moments of confusion. "We-uh-"

Fumma laughed, "Don't worry, Fai. You don't have to explain."

I looked at the ground, feeling sheepish for the first time in my life. My eyes wandered to Syaoran, who, like Toya, hadn't spoken yet, he was watching me and Kurogane intently, a fierce blush painting his entire face. Not just his cheeks. I chuckled at him. It was so cute when kids were embarassed by others.

"Just, take it slow," Fuuma advised with a familiar shadow cast over his face. "I know how you are Kurogane."

I smiled, feeling more like the outgoing person that Kurogane brought out in me, "I don't think it's him you have to worry about!"

I elbowed Kurogane and winked at Fuuma like I was the one in charge out of the two of us in the relationship. This of course set Kurogane off. All blush and brash, he tried to throttle me. He failed all the same, but this time it felt more like he was flirting as opposed to the murderous intent he (might have) had when we first met...A week ago.

* * *

On Sunday I walked through my front door. The door stuck on one side but that didn't matter to me. Not much did. Just minutes prior to me walking into my living room, Kurogane had dropped me off at my house/duplex (using the car his parents let him borrow). But before he went to drive away, he walked me to my front door, confidence galore, and pressed me into the rough faux brick exterior to kiss me into oblivion. I could feel that my hair was messy from being kissed against a wall, but I really couldn't care less about that.

I was so engrossed in my instant replay of Kurogane's goodbye that I hadn't realized that Ashura was sitting in the living room, watching some smart person's show. Though I didn't register him, when he asked me about my weekend I replied like I had known he was there all along.

"Oh, Fai," I looked up to see him looking up at me with mild surprise. "Welcome home. How was your weekend?"

A big smile split my face into bliss, "Amazing. Absolutely _amazing..."_

Ashura never asked for more details. He never had to. I would willingly give them to him without having to be asked. Even though he wasn't my real father, he was all I had in the way of family and there was no way I going to lose someone else due to my ineptitude.

I walked over to the single chair that was closest to the couch he was sitting on. I flopped into the chair, my limps surrendering themselves to my dazed brain. I felt Ashura assess me with concern.

_Was it drugs? A magical high? Sex? Alcohol? _The usual parental thoughts probably passed through his mind. But he knew I'd talk soon. And little did he know that it wasn't any of those. Even though Kurogane and I kissed quite frequently, we hadn't hit that home run.

I placed my hands over my stomach as the butterflies welled up as I stared up at the ceiling, "Ashura, I have a boyfriend..."

Beside me I heard Ashura shift his weight on the couch, "Really? Who is he?"

Slowly my lips formed his name, "_Kurogane..._" It felt like sugar on my tongue.

"That boy from school?" Ashura asked. I could feel his eyes evaluate me in a non-judgemental way.

"Oh yea," I confirmed, finally sitting up to meet Ashura's worried gaze. "He stayed the night at Fuuma's house too."

"Well, I can still see your virginity," Ashura stated.

Oh God. Ashura could see _virginity_?!

Ashura looked at me with a joking smile, "So I guess he can stay alive for now."

I rested my head on my palm as seconds ticked passed us in comfortable silence. I thought about the kisses I got throughout the weekend, about Ashura's virgin vision, and about what would happen once Kurogane and I got back to school. No matter how far my mind wandered I always seemed to arrive at the same scene:

That first kiss in Kurogane's kitchen, morning breath and passion drenched.

I smiled softly as my body called for sleep.

_End of Frequently Kissed_

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_

**A/N:**See? Originally I had Fai meet Kurogane's parents in this chapter. But it was too rushed and awkward and unnatural. And just not right. I am sooooooooooo much happier with the way it turned out in this version. Parent-less and lovin' it. I'll have them meet Fai eventually, but for now let's let them enjoy their parent-free environment, shall we? I really like this chapter. But that's probably 'cause it's almost an exact mirror of the first weekend me and my_ husband _spent together. Of course not exactly. Just the...kissing actually. XD

**Preview of Next Chapter: "**_That day I heard that there had been a bomb threat, a stabbing and magical/non-magical fight. But no one knew exactly why we had to stay in fifth period for so long..."_

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	6. A First Time

**A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATSUO!!! **And thus, the chapter was dedicated to my little sister. Lol. She's practically a lady now!!! TT^TT I am filled with sadness that my baby sister is now turning into an adult....(She's only two years younger than me btw....I just get a little carried away).

I hope you guys like this chapter. I know I loved writing it. I think I'm going to get Fai into a lot of trouble with this. Lol.

**Summary: **_Where Fai couldn't even begin to feel sorry..._

**Warnings: **Dude, it gives me great pleasure to say this...HEAVEY SHONEN-AI! (Oh yes!!!), Swearing (...tha fuck?!), and Parental!Ashura (-le gasp!!!-)

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Arc 1: Our differences

**Chapter 6**

"Ashura?" I had something on my mind.

Well I had a lot of 'something' on my mind.

My adoptive father looked up at me from over his toast, "What is it, Fai?"

How did I put this into words...? Really? I wanted to ask him about the things that happened over the weekend. Just one thing, actually. And it wasn't about Kurogane, this time. No. It was about those...candies.

"Have you ever heard of Magic Amps?" I asked eating another spoonfull of cereal.

Ashura move the newspaper he had been examining to the side, "You're not involved in that are you?"

"Are they illegal?" I felt startled by his sudden change in tone.

He drew in a hiss of air, "Not technically. But since you're here under the conditions of this country's rulers, Fai, you will be in a lot more trouble than any non-magical human if you were caught with them on you."

I nodded. So I'd get in a lot of trouble because of my 'conditions'. Other than that they were okay?

"They're called Magic Amps," I started, not really sure where I was headed with it. After an awkward pause I continued, "So...how can non-magical humans use them if they don't have any magic to amplify?"

Truthfully, it kind of hurt my pride that both Toya and Kurogane could use those things better than I could. It didn't make a bit of sense to me. I was powerful enough without having to take those things, so why did I always get the powers that were totally useless? And when I got good powers, like fire breathing, I was even worse at controlling them! It just didn't add up.

"Fai," Ashura sighed out. "You are an extreamly special case. You cannot base all magical concepts on your own experiences."

"What do you mean?" I had already abandoned breakfast in favor of talking with Ashura. With his two jobs, we didn't get much time like this together, so I took it when I could. "I know I have power but-"

He held up one hand, in an almost regal way, "You have much more than just power, Fai." He gathered up his articles about kidnapped children, economic crisis and daily comics and folded them away for recycling. "You have the ability to use magic without optimism."

"I didn't know that that was a prerequisite..." I muttered not really understanding what Ashura meant by that.

"In the beginning magical humans had the ability to use magic because they believed that they could," he explained before taking a sip of dark coffee. "They created their magic, and that was how our modern magical lineages were formed. That same optimism is carried from generation to generation to prevent the extinction of magic. Non-magical humans were the skeptics, the realists who scoffed at wizards and witches. When they found out that they were wrong, the only thing they knew to do was make us live in fear, in hopes that giving us a bleak future will kill off magical families around the world. You can create magic, even though the both of us know that you are far from being optimistic. That is what makes you special, and what makes you a threat to our home country."

Ashura stood up and placed his dishes in the sink for me to do later tonight, "Hurry up and get to your bus stop or you'll be late."

* * *

All through first period I leered at Kurogane. Yes. Leered. As in drank in the sight of him. Pervertedly. Tehe~!

Yuuko-san was talking about basics, stuff that every magical human in the room could recite in their sleep so I had no need to pay attention to anything that wasn't Kurogane. After class was over, Yuuko-san called me over to her desk and Kurogane waited for me in the hall.

"If you wish to dream up fantasies," she started with a 'look' over her glasses. "Invite him to your house, don't do it in my classroom."

"I wouldn't do that," I told her. "My guardian has virgin vision."

She laughed and all I could do was walk away. Though I had been joking, it was true. The comment Ashura made about how he could see my virginity kinda scared me. But wait...

Wasn't his talent the ability to see objects that were lost? Did that mean he could see things that were going to be lost? Or was he able to also keep tabs on things he doesn't want lost? Oh God. I was screwed.

Hopefully Ashura was just joking and he really didn't have virgin vision or the ability to keep tabs on things. That would be creepy. I shivered at the thought and continued on with my day.

_Modern Government:_

_The House is separated into two sections: Non-magical and Magical, with both Houses having equal influence over the Laws of the Land. (Bull shit.)_

_The Non-magical House takes care of all matters pertaining to the manufacturing, distribution and sale prices of magical control weaponry and magical chaos prevention devices. Everything from magical detectors to school issue magic restriction bracelets pass through the watchful and fair eyes of the Non-magical House. The other responsibilities given to this house are: State militia, marketing inflation/deflation control, School curriculum and the ability to Veto any law, bill or proposal posed to them by the Magical House. Established in 900 A.D, composed of three rulers in the top tier with many subordinates and subsections for their various purposes. (Like segregation?)_

_The Magical House is responsible for the control of all non-magical humans (...yeah right.). This House is the reason for gun control laws, separate schooling systems for magical and non-magical people, and weapons regulation measures. Other responsibilities assigned to this House include: controlling the rights of non-magical humans and the ability to raise the States Armies against foreign invaders. Established in 1500 A.D, composed of three rulers in the main branch with several subsections for each other need in this House. _

This was a load of crap. First of all, there was no equal influence in the Houses. All you had to do was read the notes to understand that much at least! If the Non-magical House had the right to veto anything proposed to them by the Magical House then obviously, there was no balance. Second, the Magical House was a slap in the face to all magical humans since it was created to give the public a false sense of equality among the magical and non-magical people. It was condescending to say the least.

Worst of all, this class was taught by a non-magical teacher. So all I heard, day in and day out, was about how fair it was and about how if the Magical House had the power to veto they would abuse it. I didn't understand why this guy didn't just write a book about it. I didn't give a flying fuck about his opinion about my people.

I hated Modern Government, with a passion.

* * *

"Okay everyone," Mrs. Chii was acting like a child who was pretending to be brave in a situation that was over their heads. "Don't panic. I'm sure that they will tell us about why we are in lock down very soon."

She gave us a weak smile and attempted to tell us about how to properly mix sugar into sugar cookies. No one was paying attention. As soon as the word 'lockdown' came on over the P.A., there was no hope left for Mrs. Chii. One thing you had to admire about her however, was that she didn't give up. It was kind of sad really.

"I heard it was a fight over a girl!" one non-magical girl squeaked to her non-magical friend.

"No!" the other said in disbelief. "You think it might have been...?"

"Oh I have no doubt," the first confirmed, leaving those of us who were listening in on their theories in the dark.

So far the stories that had circulated around the room were that there was a bomb threat, a real bomb, a magical and non-magical fight over territory within the school, a stabbing, Col. Mustard in the Library with the revolver, and now a fight over a girl. I didn't really believe any of these since they were all pretty stupid and based only on speculation, but I couldn't say that I wasn't curious enough to listen to anything said about this sudden lock down.

"What do you think happened?" I asked Kurogane, who was sitting right across from me. "We've been in here for over three hours now."

He shrugged, "I don't know."

"Well that's not a real answer," I scolded him, rubbing my foot against his under the table.

He responded by hooking his foot around mine, "You didn't ask for a real answer."

I huffed in fake annoyance, "I am flabbergasted. How dare you use sarcasm on me!"

Kurogane gave me a look, "Oh really?"

"Ya, really," my foot traveled up and stroked his calf. "You should learn some manners."

He gave me a sardonic laugh, "You're one to talk."

I chuckled, giving in to his strange use of the truth, "Yeah, yeah. Hey, Kuro-chuu...?"

"Hmm?" he responded with a quick glance around the room.

"Do you..." oh God. Was I really asking him this? "Wanna come over to my house tonight?"

For a second he just stared at me.

"Yeah. Sure."

* * *

Kurogane had to go home first to take care of his after school things, whatever those may be so he was going to just drive over to my house after he was done. There was the usual note from Ashura telling me to load the dishwasher, take the towels from the washer and put them in the dryer and to make sure the living room was straightened because of one reason or another. After doing all that, without much vigor or attention on my part, I was still waiting for him. Butterflies in my stomach.

It was unsettling to know that Kurogane had this effect on me. He made me feel like I was fluid the second he touched me, like suddenly I'd just melt away from his grasp. He also made my stomach shake and he made the wings of those butterflies flap like crazy when he pressed his lips into mine. I felt like I couldn't sit still. I had to move. I had to do something.

So, while I waited for my...boyfriend, I reorganized my closet upstairs, vacuumed all the carpeting in the house (including our stairs), replaced the filter in our A/C unit, and I forgot to eat the dinner that Ashura had left for me in the oven. By the time Kurogane made it over to my house it was already nine o'clock and my duplex looked like it belonged to a Better Homes and Gardens enthusiast.

"This place doesn't look like much from the outside," Kurogane commented when he walked in.

"That's so sweet of you!" I exclaimed, taking his hand to lead him to the living room.

His face turned red, "What are you talking about?"

"You wouldn't say something like that unless you were complimenting me."

I wasn't sure about how I came to this conclusion, but it was right. Kurogane turned even redder at the revelation of his hidden sweetness. I took him on a grand tour of my humble abode. He didn't say much, but I really didn't give him the chance to. Out of nervousness and excitement, I chatted away with myself, not even giving Kurogane the chance to breathe between the spaces in my words.

"Do you want something to eat?" I asked him, suddenly remembering the food Ashura had made.

He shook his head, "Nah, I ate before I came over."

"What did mommy make for you?" I teased him with a childish pinch to his cheeks.

He swiped at my hand, I pulled it away and laughed softly at him, "Shut the hell up."

* * *

After I ate in the kitchen Kurogane and I went into the living room and turned on the T.V. I flipped through the channels, not really interested at all in what was on cable. Eventually I decided to let a detective show play through the screen. I sat there on the couch, my mind not processing the show and what was going on (something about teeth impressions?). My mind was far too busy to allow itself to be preoccupied with anything else.

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to push the thoughts I had about Kurogane aside. He was sitting next to me. His scent on my shirt. His eyes on my television. His hand on my thigh.

I tried not to show how he effected me. I really tried. But...all that accomplished was the furthering of my frustration. During a commercial break Kurogane leaned over me, using the hand he had place on my thigh to steady himself, and kissed me ever so lightly on the lips.

When he broke away from me, his breath mingling with mine, I snapped.

In two seconds, (if that!) I was straddling him. My mouth crashing into his over and over. Hot kisses, wondering hands, unfocused eyes. It was spectacular. His hands were on the back of my neck and on the small of my back, pulling me closer into him. My hands were in his hair, tangling with his locks for maximum hold. He kissed my throat, my neck reeled back and he kissed me more, bit me more and flipped me over to lay down on the couch we were sitting on.

"Wow..." I breathed out.

He kissed me softly at first, as if he was still trying to grasp the situation. He pecked my face and lips and neck. I just laid there paitently as he rearranged his thoughts and his body to fit his hips between my thighs. Kurogane gripped my thigh tightly and then hit the 'resume' button on our earlier, hotter, kisses. He bit my neck really hard and ran his hands up my shirt. His rough dry hands felt so good against my skin.

It turns out, that when you combine a televsion, a soft couch and a couple with palpaple attraction you get one hot as hell make out session.

Kurogane kissed me and kissed me and bit me and touched me. That was...

Until Ashura walked through the front door with some company. As hurriedly as I sat up and Kurogane pulled his hands out from under my shirt, it wasn't fast enough to save Ashura from embarrassment. After giving me a look that clearly stated 'talk now' he showed his guests into the living room. I walked into the kitchen, Kurogane in tow. Ashura closed the door to the kitchen and very quietly began to scold me.

"Fai, what are you thinking?" he asked me.

"What?"

"You knew I was going to have company tonight. Why would you pull a stunt like this?" disappointment dripped from his every word.

I felt betrayed for some reason, "You didn't tell me anything!"

"I didn't?" He asked sarcastically. Ashura walked over to the counter and picked up the note he wrote me, "Then explain this." He was pointing to the line that said that he was going to bring some friends over and that I had to pick up the living room.

"Oh..." I muttered. God. How did I miss that line?! "Ashura, I'm sor-"

"Fai, not now..." he rubbed his head and leaned against the counter. "I don't even know what I'm going to do with you..."

"I'm sorry, Ashura," I finished, not knowing what else to say.

He held up his hand like he had earlier today, "Fai. Please. Let me think."

Kurogane and I stood there in the awkward silence. I looked at him, upset that I had to expose this weirdness to him on his first trip to my house. Kurogane took my hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the top of my hand.

"This is Kurogane," I introduced in an attempt to break the mood in the room. "The guy I was telling you about."

He pulled on my hand as if to tell me to stop it. I stumbled a little bit. Ashura looked up and gave Kurogane a flick of his fingers.

"I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances," Ashura apologized.

Kurogane shook his head just a little bit, "Don't worry about it."

"Okay..." Ashura inhaled and exhaled to clear his mind. "From no on, the two of you can't be by yourselves in this house. Not until I can trust you again Fai."

I took the punishment in and decided that it was fair. And that, well, Ashura had no authority over at Fuuma's Temple.

"And if Kurogane is at Fuuma's house," Ashura continued. "You cannot stay over there Fai."

If I had been a normal person my jaw probably would have hung in the air. But I just silently let my teenage anger build up. Kurogane on the other hand had the normalcy to _look _mad. Ashura didn't care about what either of us had to say as he walked out he told me to say good night to Kurogane and go to bed. I turned to Kurogane and gave him a smile I was hoping he couldn't see through.

"I'm really sorry, Kuro-myuu," I placed one of my hands on his arm. "Ashura is a little protective of me."

"Fai..." Kurogane started with a look on his face that read 'uncomfortable'.

I looked up at him, into his serious face, "Hm?"

He bit his lip and pulled me into a kiss via the back of my head, "You don't have to pretend."

For a second I clung to him, tasting the bitterness of my first disappointment to my parental figure, "I'm not faking anything Kuro-rin!"

"Right..." he muttered not believing me for a second. All he did was hold me tighter in his chest.

Oh shit. This was bad. He wasn't deterred by my contradiction at all. Not like usual.

I wiggled out of his chest and turned away from him, "I'll-uh, walk you to the door. You better leave now." I faced him and closed my eyes, "Before Ashura gets upset again."

So, he said good night to me with another fiery kiss outside the door to my house and I went inside and straight to bed. In all my life, I'd never even been grounded so disappointment was something new to me. It made my pride hurt and it made me question whether or not Ashura would ever be able to trust me again.

_End of A First Time_

* * *

**A/N: **What did ya think? Tell me honestly. Oh I just finished _Boy Meets Boy by: David Levithan, _and now I am working on _A Great and Terrible Beauty by: Libba...something..._Boy meets boy was great. The way they spoke kinda irked me 'cause it didn't sound that natural. But other than that, I would reccomend it!!! And Beauty...I'm not sure what to think of it so far. It's interesting, I'll be the first to admit that one. But it leaves me just as confused as the main character, maybe that's the way it's supposed to be?

I'm so happy that now I'll be able to get Fai and Kuro-min in trouble via Ashura's wrath. It seems like it will be fun!

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"I touched my finger nail to the very tip of Kurogane's nose as I laid on his chest, 'What about Ashura?' He looked down at me with concern and hardness. He knew that if Ashura were to find out it would be my fault. I was willing to take that risk. 'What Ashura doesn't know, can't hurt him Kuro-rin.'..."_


	7. The Abnormality of Fai D Flourite

**A/N: **Yeah...so this is by FAR the weirdest chapter I've ever written. Like. Ever. I think the blame lies with all the reading I've been doing. Srsly. I've been burning through books like crazy. I can barely keep up with myself. But I'm happy to be reading so much. I've finally got money to buy myself books since I don't think there's even a library in my stupid town. -sigh- You wanna know how I got the money? Sold all my old books! XD

I highly reccomend the Gemma Doyle Trilogy by: Libba Bray. I know I have before...but like WOW. I'm on the last book and it's like...it's left me speechless in parts. For real. Honest to God, this woman, her almost-sex-scenes are so awesome that if she were to switch to writing the smuttiest, dirtiest porno novels in the world. I'd buy every last book. -nod nod- Yeah. I could talk on forever about this series and how stupendously amazing it is, but that would take time and I have just a little bit of that left.

**Summary: **_A single night will change everything...or everything might just be normal..._

**Warnings: **'Kay, you've been waiting for it, Yaoi (not explicate...but Yaoi's Yaoi unless it's plotless then it's BLECK!), Swearing (-le gasp- Why I never-!) and the strangest things I've ever written (You've been given a fair warning...)

**

* * *

**

Arc 1: Our differences

**Chapter 7**

_Dear Parents,_

_Due to the rumors you might hear on the nightly news, our school has decided to publish a letter home addressed to you parents. Yesterday there was an incident regarding 'gang' violence in our school. At about 1:16 p.m. yesterday it has been speculated that the two gangs met outside the building to settle a 'territorial dispute'. When one gang would not give up, things turned violent. The end result was two non-magical students hospitalized with sever burns to the chest and one magical student hospitalized. In order to prevent incidents of this nature-_

"Why didn't they bother to talk about what the magical student was hospitalized with?" I wondered aloud.

Kurogane was standing next to me, both of us walking to Fuuma's house from his, "I don't know, Fai."

"I mean they went all out and told us about what the non-magical students are hurting from," I pointed out as I got a little worked up. "Do they think that will make the magical students look bad, or something?"

He was really distant from the conversation, "Really, Fai, I have no idea."

I really wasn't listening though, "Oh poor non-magical students!" I mimicked some stereotypical non-magical parent with an inhumanly high voice. "I'll bet this is all the magical students' fault! Why if I were on that Board! Those kids would be learning in a garbage dump!"

Kurogane just laughed though. I walked alongside him, smiling like an idiot. In truth, I felt like an idiot. For one, very rarely did I ever talk about the inequalities between magical and non-magical people. Two, it was weird to feel like I needed to smile. I really felt the need to smile when I was around Kurogane. He made me want to smile.

I danced a circle around my boyfriend, bowing to him when I made my way back to the front of him. "Do you even know the definition of social decorum?" Kurogane said this even though he sounded like he was slightly amused by me.

"Oh my!" I gasped. "I had no idea that Kuro-chan was so wordsy!"

"Just shut up, idiot," he chided as he reached out and pushed me a little.

We walked into Fuuma's house. After the first few visits to Fuuma's house, Fuuma told us just to walk right in. He must have gotten annoyed with yelling 'Just come in!', I don't know. We took off our shoes and made our way through to the living room. Toya was already breathing life into the different inanimate objects. The fake flowers in the vase on the low standing coffee table danced around on their stalks; the vase itself was repeatedly pouring nothing out of its long neck. I watched with fascination. For some reason, I'd never even thought about using my magic in these ways.

Kurogane tapped my hip to get me to move forward. I looked next to me and smiled. He was incredibly good looking, no doubt about it. I patted his face and moved forward. Sitting down next to Yukito I swallowed one of the flat discs.

_Something powerful,_ I thought as I eased my eyes shut. _For once I want some powerful quirk! _

I felt something rise in my throat. It moved through me like a large, round, hard marble. It pushed through me and landed on my tongue. I opened my mouth and spat out the mystery object. I pulled my hand back. It was...a black ball. I didn't know what it was for or why I had spit it up.

"What is _that_?" Kurogane asked as he scooted closer to me.

"It must be a child!" I exclaimed.

"The hell it is!" he retorted it.

"That's so sweet!" Fuuma yelled in a fake girly voice.

Kamui sat there silently and Toya and Yukito were too far gone in each other to really care. I poked the dark mass. It only rolled in my hand. Back and forth. I held it between my index finger and my thumb and squished it. Nothing happened. The sides didn't even give way. It was like this ball was made of granite.

"Let's throw it!" I suggested with a mischievous smile that I could feel all the way in my toes.

Before anyone could get excited about this or oppose me, I stood up and walked out to the back yard, through the sliding glass door.

The back yard was massive. There was green grass that seemed to stretch into the next country. Flowering trees surrounded the house for a vision similar to the times when ancient magicks ruled over our lands. But I have no passion for history, so that isn't what I think at all. I just find it, beautiful in a way that I've never seen.

With all my might I threw the black ball into the air. It flew through the air and exploded on the ground. The once serene green grass was stained the color of soot. The stain drew into itself and began to grow upwards, like it was forming something from the inky material. I watched with a mixture of horror and fascination.

The stain became a tree. A tree? That's right, a tree.

It was thin and foreboding. The branches reached for the clouds above us. Despite the way it looked, I couldn't help myself. I walked over to it, cautiously.

"Wow..." I whispered as I ran my hand over the trunk of the tree.

Ink came off on my hand. I pulled it back and stared. It was fantastic. Behind me I heard Kurogane and Fuuma walking towards me. I didn't even turn around to greet them. I was far too enamored with my creation.

"I made this..." I spoke with marvel for my tree. "_I _made _this._"

I'd never done anything worth while with my magic. All I did was clean, or some useless thing like that. I had never made something out of nothing. This was...miraculous.

"This is amazing, Fai," Fuuma complimented me. He didn't sound nearly as impressed as I did.

Kurogane didn't say anything. He just took my hand and trailed his fingers through the tar-black ink. The tips of his fingers were stained, like the grass where my tree began to take root. Placing his finger tips against my cheek, Kurogane turned my face to his. Now I was marked by him, but I get the feeling he didn't see it like that.

"Let's go inside now," he suggested with a hard look at the tree.

"Whatever you say, my sweet," I joked as I took his midnight hand in mine.

* * *

Now it was dark. It was dark and I was breathing heavily into Kurogane's shoulder.

_"I'm going home now," Kurogane stood to leave. _

_I followed him to the door, catching his wrist before he got the small step where we took our shoes off. He looked at me like I was crazy, which was weird considering I'd done crazier and stupider things in his presence. _

_"Stay."_

_Kurogane faced me fully and put his hands on my hips, "You heard what Ashura said."_

I let out a breath I felt building up in my chest in an 'oh' sound. Kurogane moved to hover over my chest. He lowered himself slowly to kiss me. Some part of me felt like it was growing larger to allow a spot for Kurogane to stay. If this was forever, I wasn't sure. But it was now, and that's all that mattered to me.

"Will you...?" I asked for something I wasn't sure of.

Somehow Kurogane understood, even if I didn't. He kissed me again, deeper this time, like he was trying to reach that piece of me that he owned. My heart gave three painful flutters and I felt my face heat up. Kurogane reached for my shirt uncertainly. I took a hold of his wrist and pushed it under the fabric. Once his hand was under my shirt it was like he had never had a second thought to begin with.

He dragged his lips over my skin, his breath hot against my neck. Kisses. Nips. Bites. It was like he was lighting me up with these few actions. I let out another stifled breath. There was no need for me to be quite, Yukito and Toya had gone for a walk and had been gone for nearly an hour already. I took in a sharp breath when Kurogane began sucking on my neck.

Kurogane pulled my shirt up and over my head. I took a hold of his shirt and tore it off of him, pulling my self up in the process. We were nearly equal in height when we were both on our knees, I thought a second before Kurogane held my jaw in his palms to kiss me. Our chests, warm and alive, met. Suddenly our kisses were more sudden, more urgent. I felt like Kurogane was my air and I would die if I didn't taste more of him.

He pushed my back onto our joined futons. I couldn't breathe. Then Kurogane covered my body with his and I was gasping for air.

_"What Ashura doesn't know, won't hurt him..." I stated. _

_With that Kurogane's hands relaxed, "Fine. But if we get in trouble, I'm blaming you."_

Next to me, his breath was steady, like he'd been relaxing for hours as opposed to minutes. I felt everything around me. The earth was moving. The wind was blowing. Kurogane was breathing. Everything was alive within me. I could feel Kurogane next to me and all around me, an omnisciant force.

I turned to look at him and though my body felt like Hell as well as Heaven I moved to lay on top of his chest. I let out a content sigh. Kurogane wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze, and kissed my forehead. I was alive.

"That was..." I was at a loss for words. Were there words for what happened?

He waited for me to talk. It would seem that Kurogane wasn't one of those chatty types after, well, sex. I rolled off of him and spread out, my knuckles grazing the floor.

"I know."

I turned to look at him. I didn't expect him to know what I was talking about. I got on my side and faced him. We shared a kiss that seemed to stretch across galaxies and centuries. I smiled into the kiss, perfect satiated for once in my life.

* * *

I woke up the next morning with pains that felt like they had come forth from the deepest pits of hell. I rolled onto my side and gripped my pillow tightly.

"Oh God why?" I pleaded pathetically into my pillow.

Strangely it wasn't until I patted Kurogane's side of the futon that I realized that he wasn't there. My hand ran across his blanket and I looked up to see that he wasn't out of reach. In fact, he wasn't there at all. He wasn't anywhere within my eye line. I sat up fast and went down just as quickly as I sat up.

I groaned. Pain was shooting through my entire body. Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to lose my virginity on a floor. Practically a floor. Whatever. I shoved my face into the pillow and groaned loudly again.

"Do you ever shut up?" a voice across the room asked.

"Yes," I said as I looked over at Kurogane. "Too bad it's such a rare occurrence. You already missed it and it won't happen again for another ten thousand years!"

In his hands, Kurogane held a small bag of donuts and chocolate milk, "Whatever, Fai."

"Awwww," I lifted my body up slowly, so as to attempt to avoid pain. This, of course, didn't work at all. "You came to feed me!!"

Kurogane sat down cross legged in front of me, "You...might want to get dressed. Everyone is already up."

I looked down, unfazed by my state of undress, "I probably should."

He watched me expectantly. I sat, waiting for him to open up breakfast. We sat there staring at each other for a while before Kurogane reached behind me and pulled out his t-shirt from last night. He put it in my lap. I sighed dramatically and put it on. Kurogane leaned over and kissed me. He tasted like cold fresh air and...dark chocolate? I pulled back and decided that wondering why he tasted like chocolate was useless at this point, since all I wanted were the donuts he had.

* * *

Once Kurogane and I finished eating we walked out into the living room. I was already polished up and ready for the world. Or so I thought. No amount of polishing could prepare me for what was waiting. It wasn't a dark prospect or anything like that. It was more like...excitement.

"Fai! Fai!" Sakura squealed. "You have to see this!!"

She took a hold of my hands and dragged me out to the back yard, "What is it Sakura-chan?"

My body was still groggy and pained, so my mind took a second to catch up with the sight in front of me. I looked up and saw that my tree had flowered. There were buds that glowed a bright blue and hung over the sides of the branches like bleeding hearts. In awe I walked forward, Sakura still holding on to my hand.

I reached up and stroked one of the quivering buds. It was charged with power. Somehow, some way, it was filled with magic. The small lights inside the unbosomed blossoms trembled and blinked like Christmas lights. I smiled at my creation. I had no idea what it meant or why it was created in the first place. But I was proud of it and that's honestly all that mattered to me.

Well, that. And Kurogane. Who was waiting for me in the door frame to kiss me.

_End of The Abnormality of Fai D. Flourite_

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**A/N: **Please tell me you guys haven't abandoned me!!! I am quite honestly...not so sure about where this is going. I really have no clue. It just came out when I was trying to finish this chapter. Hopefully I will come up with something totally brilliant and twisted enough to cover for this strange outburst of creativity. I really do.

Oh and btw, I will be moving soonly out of my father's house. But have no fear!! I already have secured an internet connection and I will be up and writing before you even realized I was gone!! Haha.

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"...'So basically it's like a big glowing fortune cookie?'"_


	8. No Place Like It

**A/N: **I've had this chapter typed up for some time but I didn't like the way that fanfiction was trying to format it, so I didn't post it. But in light of the difficulties I've been having with getting to internets, I've given up on caring about that. Please, forgive the lateness of this, and the fact that there's going to be a looooooooooooooong wait before this or fictionpress are updated. Oh God. I'm so frustrated not being able to type up anything. Please, tell me that you'll forgive me?

**Summary: **_Don't underestimate the power of an adult..._

**Warnings: **Shonen-Ai's (NEVAH!!!), Swearing's (...you liar...), and probably a lot of grammatical errors (since I skipped the beta step in order to publish it. Forgive me, Cuenta?)

* * *

**Arc 1: Our Differences**

**Chapter 8**

I woke up on Monday morning and got ready for school. I slipped into my red uniform and headed downstairs.

"I'm up!" I shouted once I reached the kitchen.

No one answered me back. I walked cautiously, as if someone might pop up from behind the island that sat in the dead center of the kitchen. I looked around the kitchen. Nothing. When I turned around, however, I saw that there was a note from Ashura placed on the stove top.

_Fai,_

_I have another job for the government. I should be home at about ten tonight. Stay home. _

_We need to talk._

_Love,_

_Ashura_

I swallowed hard. There was no way that Ashura could have known that I disobeyed him. I mean he could see lost _objects, _not lost virginity. And virginity wasn't so much a concept as it was an idea...right? And he was just joking about the Virgin Vision thing...right? I sat down on one of the stools and took a deep breath. I was overthinking everything. Maybe he was going to tell me that our home country was going to finally allow me to live with my brother again. Maybe we were moving to a nicer neighborhood, where the walls weren't so thin.

Yeah, that was it. How could I have ever thought that this talk was going to be bad? I laughed at my foolishness and put his letter on the island. Good news or bad, I still had lost my appitite.

I grabbed my bookbag and headed for the bus stop. There was no harm in being early to the bus stop, and it was a beautiful autumn morning. Some fresh air would do me good. I locked up the door and turned around to start walking. But, by the curb that led up to my house Kurogane's truck was ideling. He was standing next to it, mumbling to himself. It almost looked like he was debating, except, you know, no one else was there with him.

I turned around and looked at my front door, had I stepped into an alternate dimension? If I had, then that was just fine.

I walked up to Kurogane and waited there for him to notice me. He did, and when he did he nearly jumped out of his skin from my closeness. We'd been closer, and in far less clothing, why would my face next to his scare him? Maybe he was just skiddish.

"Oh no, don't let me interupt you," I told him with a smile.

Kurogane knocked his knuckles against my forehead, "Shut up."

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked the obvious.

He rolled his vermillion eyes at me. "Take a guess."

I slid between him and his truck and opened the passenger side door. Being as scrawny as I am it wasn't too difficult to manuver my way into his truck even though he didn't budge until I was already in. He came around and started the engine. A thought rolled around in my head as my senses were filled to the brim with excitement. It was so weird. Just being within the same confines as Kurogane made my skin hum with life. And possibly magic.

I snapped my fingers and a tiny blue tinted glass rose sat in my hand. How odd. I shook my hand and it disappeared into the morning air. I had been so distracted by my own magic that I hadn't noticed Kurogane's hand working its way from my knee up to my thigh.

"Hey, Kuro-chan?" I tilted my face slightly to get a glimpse of him.

He didn't even turn to look at me as we putt-putted down the street. "Hmmm?"

At that point I wasn't sure about what would spill out of my mouth. I just...went with the flow.

"Do you wanna skip school today?" I asked him.

Anxiety filled me within seconds of letting this question go. Why had I even asked him that?! It was a stupid idea. Oh, I was beyond dead if Ashura found out. That is, if Kurogane actually did skip school with me. Oh God. I was an idiot. What if he said no?!

"Sure," he replied with a shrug.

And it was that easy. Just _that _easy for him to say yes to me. And that easy for me to dig myself a deeper grave.

_At least, _I thought as Kurogane took a well-timed turn into his neighborhood. _I'll get to be with him for a little longer before Ashura kills me..._

* * *

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "Do you _live _on oysters?!"

Kurogane pulled me closer to him, his naked body slick with sweat. "No. Why?"

I struggled against him, a little perturbed by my own inadequacy to please him. It was a little disconcerting that Kurogane only had to run one finger over my neck and I was a pile of mush. It made me feel exposed. In a more intimate way than just my backside. Kurogane of course, won out and got me to rest against his chest. I wasn't really trying anyway. I wanted him to hold me, but I didn't want to feel so insecured.

"You really don't get it, do you?" I wondered with a sleepy grin.

His eyes met mine and Kurogane kissed me softly. I should have known what that meant, but being in the, ahem, 'state' I was in, my brain wasn't functioning at a normal rate. I put my hand to his chest and felt his blood slide beneath his skin, pumping life into his heart. The thought was kind of creepy, but the idea of Kurogane living and breathing was relaxing. Strong, soft lips parted from mine and my head spun like a hurricane.

"Explain," I demanded in a dazed voice.

He smirked at me, hard and sweet. "What is there to explain?"

"What about it?" He guided my chin to his lips, nipping and teasing it, making it so hard to focus on my demand.

"There is nothing to explain," he simply finished with a kiss placed carefully on my neck.

I could go with that.

* * *

It wasn't until about lunch time that Kurogane and I decided to go to school. It was better that we went for half a day as opposed to not going at all. I wasn't sure about what I would tell Ashura. Anxiety was brewing inside of me, making it difficult to sit still. I fidgeted in my seat and tugged at my clothes. I smelled like Kurogane all over. My skin. My shirt. My finger tips. Everything. That was of little comfort to me, since my fate was not so good, but it was a comfort none the less.

We pulled up to the school and I already knew that there was something wrong. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my arms exploded with goosebumps. I chanced a look at Kurogane. He was perched on his seat like he would spur into action at any second. His eyes met mine and I felt like we understood what the other was thinking. I nodded to him and we both pushed our doors open.

The front of the school looked normal enough, but the air had pulses of magic and electricity ripping through it. I took a hold of Kurogane's hand, as if that would help my fears subside. Absurdly, it did.

We weren't even to the front door when one red haired girl came flying through the front entrance. Kurogane pulled me out of the path of destruction. The two of us slapped hard against the concrete. I winced and looked up to see a magical student, a girl with chestnut colored hair, charging at the other student. My eyes widened as she got closer. The big ball of white blue flames creeping over her right arm didn't help at all. She reached the other girl and yanked her up by her pretty hair.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" she shrieked into her face.

The girl spat at her. "None of your business."

The one in control gripped her arm with her flame embellished hand. Immediately the smell of burning flesh and tormented shrieks filled the courtyard.

"You have no right!" she screamed at the helpless girl as she writhed on the sidewalk.

After her cries of pain died out she stood up on shaky legs, her red hair parting over her bent neck, and gave her abuser a levelling stare. "No, you have no right. I can love whomever I want to!"

Her eyes flashed a brilliant oragne gold and the other girl fell to the floor without a sound. I could see clearly the blue vines that twisted around her neck that made up her magical tattoo. She looked up at the girl who had turned the tables with a pride that could never be shattered.

"I don't care if he's non-magical." She towered over her offender. "And you can't tell me otherwise, sister."

As the courtyard filled with people and teachers and police (magical and non-magical), I couldn't help but gape at the scene that had just played out in front of me. Sisters. Sister had just fought over love. Not because they loved the same person, but because he was non-magical. I floundered at the thought. Would people really go that far if they found out that me and Kurogane were sleeping together?

I turned to him and watched his reaction to this whole thing. His shoulders were tense, so rigid I could probably bounce a quater off of him. I groped around, my eyes not really comprehending what was in front of me. Kurogane took a firm hold of me and pulled me into his hard chest. I started breathing heavily and shaking. Kurogane's hand smoothed over my head and he kissed my hair.

"Let's get out of here," he offered with a supportive voice.

* * *

I took a drink of the hot chocolate that Kurogane had bought for me at the gas station. He drank his tea in silence next to me. We were sitting outside of my house as the afternoon gave way to early evening. Beautiful golds and reds painted the sky, but I couldn't really focuse on the sight in front of me when I was thinking about how messed up the world I lived in was. Would it be worth it to stay with Kurogane if it meant that he'd be hurt by me one day? I had barely spoken two words to him since we left the school. He didn't press me for anything either. He just sat there, the comforting body that I needed.

Finally, I started talking. I stared at the face reflected in my creamy hot chocolate. I wasn't nearly brave enough to look Kurogane in the face with what I had to say.

"Kurogane..." I whispered. I could imagine the surprise on his face so clearly. "I don't think we should be together."

A moment of dumbfounded silence. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason?!" I snapped at him from behind my bangs. "I just don't want to be with you!"

"Whatever," he replied.

He shifted next to me and I assumed that he was moving to leave me alone on my front door step, so I didn't glance up when I heard his uniform rustle. Instead, Kurogane grabbed my chin roughly and yanked my face up to force me to look at him. I felt my heart leap to my throat when I saw the ferocity in his brilliantly red eyes.

"If this is coming from what you saw today," Kurogane started with an edge to his voice. "Then forget about it. I'm not with you for sex or danger or anything."

I swallowed hard.

"I'm with you because I want to be," he finished. "Fuck what the world thinks."

He let go of my face and settled back into his original sitting position. I blinked away the clouds caused by the day's events. Wow. My head hit the bricks of the exterior of my house with enough force that it should have hurt, but I didn't feel a thing. I sat there in my stupified silence.

I laughed and shook my head. Leave it to Kurogane to shock the words out of me.

That was a magic all on its own.

* * *

Ashura came home when it was nearly ten. Kurogane was long gone, back to his family's house. I was sitting by myself in the living room with alfrado growing colder and colder in my lap while I watched a history special on the government of my homeland. When Ashura saw me sitting there quietly he had to check twice to make sure it really was me. Once he was semi-satisfied with his assessment he went about putting his jacket and other effects in their proper place. I watched the TV with little interest.

Why would I care about the origins of a Government that insisted that I needed to be away from my birth family? My hear jumped painfully at the thought of the one back home waiting for me. Ashura sat down across from me as silent as smoke in water. He flicked the Tv off with his magic. Whatever he had to say must have been serious if he was using magic for such a simple task.

He took in a long drag of air. "Look, Fai," Ashura started slowly. "I know that you're young. But being young is no excuse for disobeying me."

I listened to him with a blank stare. The fight from earlier was still shaking me inside and out. I couldn't help but want to tune out this lecture when there wasn't enough room in my head for this talk with Ashura. I felt cold sweat trickle through my hair and down my spine.

"Pay attention, Fai," Ashura ordered as he lowered his hand back to his lap. I nodded, on the verge of a breakdown. "Are you listening?" he asked. I answered with another nod and I tried to look more alert. "Good."

"Fai, you're grounded."

"Huh?" I asked numbly.

"Grounded," Ashura repeated. "I don't want you leaving this house unless you're going to school. I don't want you going over to Fuuma's house on the weekends. I don't want anyone over here that isn't you, me, or the police. Though I'd like you to avoid the police."

"What?" My mind struggled to comprehend what he was saying. "Wha-what? Why?"

Ashura's eyes were a stormy blue and his lips were turned downwards in disappointment. I'd never seen him so upset...and it scared me. "You disobeyed me, Fai. You and Kurogane both spent the night at Fumma's house, even after I told you not to."

I couldn't get a firm grip on what was happening. "How would you even know?" I asked, suddenly knowing that I should be defensive. "You weren't there."

"I didn't have to be!" Ashura raised his voice just enough to make me flinch. "I know that you twoguys had sex."

The blantant accusation made me reel back. "Wha-?"

"Don't lie to me, Fai," he pleaded. "I know you're no longer a virgin."

My mouth opened and closed.

"Fai." Ashura sighed and sat back in his chair before resuming his lecture-mode look. "There was a reason why I told you not to sleep with him."

I sat there quietly as he gathered his thoughts and words.

"When a non-magical person loses their virginity, they may suffer emotional or social consequences," Ashura explained. "But when a magical person loses their virginity their magic changes to accomodate this new development. It was only a matter of time before you lost your virginity, but I wanted you to have a better hold on who you were and what your powers were capable of before they changed."

My eyes shifted from the floor to the ceiling. This day was one for the books, that's for sure.

Ashura gave me sympathy in those large dark eyes. "Kurogane is a good kid, as far as I can tell, but I don't think he knows what taking your virginty entails."

"What exactly does taking my virginity entail?" I wondered out loud.

"It means that you have a new tattoo," Ashura said evenly. "A scar that will never go away. And depending on what happens between the two of you depends on what sorts of powers you will be blessed with because of this. If he hurts you, who knows what could happen. There have been people who were driven mad because of the tattoo they recieved from the person that took their virginity."

I bit my lip. "What if he stays with me?"

Ashura sighed. "Then the power you're given will be proportional to how much he loves you."

"Good." At least that was a relief in a day filled with chaos.

"Don't you get it, Fai?" Ashura questioned with a tone that said 'no of course you don't'. "You and Kurogane are linked for the rest of your lives now. That was another reason why I wanted you to wait."

"Okay," I told him with a deep breath pushed out through my teeth. "Okay. I understand. But, it's too late for warnings now. I've already done what I've done and now I've got to live with it."

"I should have spoken to you about this sooner."

I shook my head. "Don't be. I probably wouldn't have listened anyway."

Ashura laughed and I knew that he agreed with me. What an impossible child I was, huh?

I rolled my head to look at Ashura. "So..."I started with not knowing what was going to come next. "What does lost virginity look like? Does it glow?"

Ashura nodded. "Yeah. Yours was light blue."

"You know." I clapped my hands together, making it my priority to find this new tattoo. "Virgin Vision has to be the creepiest power I've ever heard of."

_End of No Place Like It_

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**A/N: **What do ya think? I rather liked this chapter. It presented lot of new concepts (like the virginity thing!) and I liked writing the sisters fight. Very dramatic. I don't know who those girls were, just random girls, so don't ask. I wish that I knew though. Hmmm....I wonder who they were now....Not much going on except a couple of job inteviews that look promising! Wish me luck!

**Preview of Next Chapter: **_"Fumma held out a small glowing flower. 'This fell off the tree a few days ago,' he told me as I took the flower out of his hand. 'I wanted to see what was in it, but I thought that it would be better if you saw it first.' 'That's unlike you,' I pointed out as I peeled a petal back. 'You're so curious I wouldn't have blamed you for looking inside of it!' Fumma laughed with me as the bus rocked and bumped its way to school. Inside the flower was a piece of paper. I unrolled the paper, feeling like I was reading a fortune cookie, and read what it said..."_


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